Oneshots
by milkahasii
Summary: Some connected Oneshots about Seddie. Fluff is ahead, I guess.
1. Chapter 1

Freddie grinned from ear to ear and high-fived Brad, his running back. They had just won against their enemies from Richmond Highschool, resulting in a close 45 - 40. Brad had crossed Freddie, faking a run and Taylor, wide receiver and the Football team's actual captain had caught his pass right in the end zone of Richmond High. The two-point-conversion had been a piece of cake and the Ridgeway-fans had errupted in cheers.

Carly hopped towards Freddie in her cheer-outfit and hugged him, then Brad, congratulating them on their success.

"That was some awesome last play!" She smiled at them, then she turned a little more serious.

"Listen, Freddie," she said slowly.

The brunette boy frowned, he didn't like where this was going.

"I know, I said I'd pick Sam up from her game, but Spencer ate too many things and I really need to bring him home before he starts vomiting into the car, or anything else for that matter." Carly looked behind her worriedly. Freddie could see Spencer sitting on one of the benches, slumped over, clutching his stomach.  
He sighed. "It's okay, I'll pick her up."

The peppy brunette looked up to him and smiled. He had grown to be about 5 inches taller than her since they started High School and grinned back down at her.

"Thanks!" She said and ran off with her pompoms still in hand to take Spencer home. Freddie looked after them, furrowing his eyebrows and shaking his head slightly. Brad chuckled next to him.

"He's such a manchild. He just doesn't know when he's had enough." The iCarly-intern grinned and Freddie nodded.

"Yeah. Come on now, let's hit the showers, I have a long drive coming my way."

"Want me to come with?" Brad asked, being the good friend that he was.

Freddie smiled. "Nah, thanks, I'm good."

When Freddie entered the gym of Winchester High School, he couldn't keep himself from frowning. He didn't really like in-door-plays. The gym was hot, the air smelled terrible and thick and it was loud as hell.

Everyone was cheering the Winchester-girl's volleyball team on, only few - in comparison to his footballgame - had come to cheer for the Ridgeway girls.

Freddie made his way to the front line of the seats, where he could see the field. He checked the score-table and noticed with surprise, that Ridgeway led by an amazing count of 24 - 10 in third set. He knew Sam's girls were strong, but _that_ strong? He was impressed, Winchester had won the Washington Championship three times in a row, after all.

He searched the field for his blonde friend and found her at the net. Her eyes were focused on the ball, her hair up in that ponytail she rarely wore. One of the Winchester girls hit the ball and started the most likely last round of gameplay. Wendy, one of Sam's friends catapulted it back into the air, the girl next to Sam let out a short shout, passing it straight over Sam's head. The blonde jumped into the air, rising much higher than one would think, considering she was rather small. Her top lifted, revealing her flat stomach and porcelain skin as she raised her arm. Winchester High was not prepared for the early scoring, their blocks were too late, because Sam's hand had already collided with the ball, smacking it on the ground with a force, that Freddie knew all _too _well. Ever since the blonde she-devil had started to cheer - shocking, isn't it? - and play volleyball he had been the victim of one of her service-and-score-practices more often than he could count.

The score-table beeped sharply.

"And Ridgeway High School wins with 3-0 sets!" The speakers announced half-heartedly.

Freddie smiled, as he saw Sam clapping her hands and hugging - yes, Sam Puckett started to _hug_ people - her girls. She was their captain and also the most powerful and skilled player in the team. The former captain, Savannah, had announced her captain without second thought as she graduated, although Sam had only been a junior.

The girls moved to the showers and Freddie turned to go and wait in his car. He didn't know if Sam would be surprised to see him, or not, depending on Carly texting her.

After twenty minutes Freddie saw the first girls coming out of the gym, meeting their friends, parents or boyfriends that picked them up. Freddie sighed. Why was Sam captain again? She was always the last to leave. She said it was her duty to work hardest and to make sure everyone on her team left the cabins, not inviting their boyfriends in and fooling around. Another ten minutes went by, as Wendy, another girl who's name was Clarisse or something and the blonde-headed demon emerged through the doors. Sam seemed to not have seen his car, because she stood still in front of the doors and chatted with her friends.

The brunette boy looked at her closely. She was beyond tired, he could tell. She was her babbling happy self, but just from the way her legs twitched and her smile didn't really reach her eyes, he could tell that she was exremely tired. And he couldn't blame her. It was friday and they had had school this morning. Sam had went to cheer practice with Carly, worked on game plan for the night and even came to watch the first quarter of his game and cheered with her cheering-team. Wendy had picked her up and they had driven to their own game. It had been a long day for her.

Eventually, he got out of his car, walking over to the still happily chatting girls.

"Oh, that brunette Winchester-girl was _so_ upset when you smashed the ball directly into her face." Wendy laughed and Sam grinned.

"Hey, girls." Freddie said from behind Sam before he stood beside her.

The blonde shot him a confused look. "I thought Carly was coming to pick me up?"

"She was, but Spencer ate too many sweets and got sick, she had to take him home."

Sam rolled her eyes. "That's so Spencer-ish."

Suddenly her left leg gave in, but she quickly covered it up by lifting her weight on her other leg. But she wasn't quick enough for Freddie, who now put a hand on her lower back to support her, invisible for the two girls facing them to see for they were now standing rather close.

"Carly's brother?" Wendy asked as if nothing happened.

"Yeah. He's such a manchild." Sam grinned and rolled her eyes again.

Wendy giggled. "I like him, he's fun."

"We should get going, Wendy, my Mom's waiting." Clarisse - or whatever her name was - said and nudged Wendy.

"Yeah, sure, see you monday, Sam! Bye Freddie!"

"Yeah, thanks for waiting with me!" Sam waved.

The two remained standing still until Wendy and Clarisse were out of sight, then Sam let out a deep breath and leaned into Freddie. He rubbed her back comfortingly.

"You know you don't have to do that, right?" He asked her quietly.  
"Do what?" It wasn't really a question. He answered it anyway.

"Act tough. They are your friends, too, you know."

Sam shrugged. "I'm their captain, if I'm not strong for them, who else will?"

Freddie shook his head. Sam's loigc.

"Come on, let's get you into bed."

She looked at him funny, her eyebrow raised, a playful smirk on her lips.

"Oh really, Benson?"

Freddie was confused, but on second thought he understood her interpretation of his words and he frowned.

"Shut up, Puckett." He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards his car.

"Oh, you couldn't even bring a _comfortable_ car? You had to bring your Twilight-Truck?" Sam groaned as Freddie opened the door for her, helping her to climb in, because her legs were still trembling.

He frowned again. Ever since he got his rusty red truck, that was parked in the far corner of the parking lot, Sam was teasing him about how much of a Bella-Swan-Twilight-Truck it was. Actually he didn't care at all, that it may looked like the truck from the movie. He loved his car. He had bought it with his own money. It was _his_.

"Shut up, Puckett, before I leave you here."

Sam fake-gasped. "Oh no! But what if a murderer would come for me?"

Freddie rolled his eyes as he got in behind the steering wheel. "You'd beat him to a pulp."

He started the car and the engine roared to life.

"No chizz." Sam yawned and stretched her arms. "So how's your little girlfriend? What was her name again? Megan?"

Freddie's look darkened. "Mary. We broke up two weeks ago."

The blonde's head shot around to look at her friend. "What?! You didn't say a word!"

The boy shrugged. "Didn't feel like talking. Carly would've been all sorry and worried. Worried-Carly is too exhausting to have around, so I didn't say a thing."

"Well, then why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, firstly, because it wouldn't be fair towards Carly," he paused and began smirking, "and secondly, because you would have laughed at me or tied me in a headlock! Probably both."

"I would never do that!" Sam exclaimed.

Freddie laughed at her. "Sure, I saw that last time I broke up with Jessie."

Sam's eyes narrowed and her look was pure poison. "Those were congratulations. I hated that bitch."

Sam and Jessie had been enemies since the first day they had met, when they both had started playing volleyball in 10th grade. Jessie had been the one who wanted to be captain and had been prepared to do anything for it. When Savannah had announced Sam captain, Jessie had been bummed and had started making Sam's work on the team as hard as possible. Eventually, Sam had build up the new team to act like a team and play rock-hard matches against other schools, Jessie had been the second best player and when she quit it was actually kind of sad for the team. Seeing that Sam had clearly won the fight over the volleyball team Jessie had given up and started to bug her in new areas. She had dated Freddie.

It wasn't like Sam had been jealous or anything, but seeing your enemy every day in and after school with her false behaviour and sugar sweet voice, _smooching_ your best, innocent and terribly stupid friend? Too much for Sam. She had stepped back and abandoned Carly's house until Freddie had finally decided that Jessie wasn't the girl for him to be together with for longer than two weeks and that his friendship with Sam was way more important than some girl he didn't even have feelings for.

Sam had laughed at him for being his nubby self and then put him in a headlock. Carly had only rolled her eyes and he had only laughed, knowing it was her expression of pure joy and happiness.

"I know." Freddie sighed.

"But I kind of liked Megan." She said quietly. "Why'd you break up?"

Freddie thought back. Why had he broken up with her? He didn't really know.

"Mary. I don't know. I just figured she liked me more than I liked her and thought it wasn't fair to keep her hopes up."

"Ohh, Lord Nubcelot, you hero in shining armor." Sam scoffed.

The brunette boy shrugged, turning his vehicle onto the dark driveway.

"Be nice, Sam, I'd be home by now, soundly asleep in my bed, if I hadn't made the effort to drive 20 minutes to pick you up."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." She waved.

"How long is the drive home?" Sam yawned again.

"Another 50 minutes."

She groaned and fell onto the bench sideways, her head slightly touching his leg.

He was about to argue that she was supposed to sit up, that it was dangerous to lay around like that, but then he saw her face. Her eyes were closed and she snuggled closer to his leg and into her vest, ready to go to sleep.

"You want my jacket?" He asked quietly, softly stroking her hair once or twice.

"Give it to me, nub." She said, her voice already a little thick with sleep.

He smiled and pulled the car over to the side, to take off his jacket and wrap it around her small body securely. It was almost a blanket for her. Thank god, puberty had been good to him and he had started playing football. She would've complained that the jacket was too small or too stupid or too uncool. But now that Freddie was quarterback, even Sam couldn't deny that he had gained some coolness.

"Thanks, nub." Sam mumbled quietly.

Freddie grinned at his friend and started stroking her hair again until he could hear her deep, balanced breathing.

A knock on the door made Carly jump.

She had sat on the couch for ten minutes after she had dealt with Spencer and his sweets-problem for about two hours. Groaning, she got up and went to answer the door.

In front of her stood Freddie, a sportsbag on each of his shoulders, carrying a sleeping blonde in his arms that safely snuggled into his chest, wrapped up in his jacket.

"Freddie!" Carly whisper-yelled. "Can I help you?"

Freddie shook his head. "No, not really. Where should I put her?"

"Take her to my room, would you?"

The boy nodded and walked towards the stairs after Carly, who jumped up, two steps at a time to get Sam's bed ready for her.

"Did she overdo it, again?" Carly asked as Freddie layed the blonde down and put the sportsbags down.

"Maybe a little."

"Did she collapse again?" Carly asked and worriedly looked at Freddie.

"No, no. She did great. She just fell asleep in the car and I didn't want to wake her."

Carly grinned. "You mean, Bella's car?"

Freddie rolled his eyes at her. "Good night, Carly."

Carly giggled a little and told him good night.


	2. Chapter 2

"Dude, you take like _forever_ to get ready."

"Relax, Sam, it's not like anyone is awaiting us at Julian's party." Carly said and pulled up her tights, giving her a stern look.

"Erm, hello?! _We're_ waiting, right out here!" Brad could be heard from outside the door.

Carly huffed and opened the door for the boys. "Yeah, yeah, you can come back in."

Freddie, Brad and Gibby grumbled something and went over to the couch.

Carly sat down on her desk and started applying her make-up.

Sam groaned and rolled over on Carly's bed.

She wore a black t-shirt and a red high-waisted skirt with a tiny black belt, black heels that Carly made her wear and burning red lips. Yes, cheering and having other girly friends made her girlier in her dressup, too. If only by a bit. She looked gorgeous, all three boys couldn't deny that.

Carly wore a glittery, dark blue, tight dress and another pair of black heels.

"Carly we know you take this serious, but... well it's not like Shane is going to be there all night." Freddie said, trying to reason with his brunette friend.  
She shot him a look. "I have to look perfect, Freddie, _perfect_, you understand that?"

He opened his mouth but didn't say a thing. Carly threw her hands in the air.

"Of course not, you're a boy!"

Brad growled and Sam slapped her hand onto her forehead.

That was _so_ Carly. Freddie should know by now that it wasn't a good idea to question Carly's handling with boys.

"Okay." She said after fifteen additional minutes in which her friends were lounging half asleep in her room. "I'm ready, let's go, I gotta impress someone special tonight."

Sam rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Naah, I don't wanna."

Brad and Freddie were slowly standing up, stretching, Gibby was drooling on the couch, he had already fallen asleep.

"Aww, look what you did to your couch by taking so long!" Freddie said and pointed to Gibby.

Carly made a disgusted face and went over to slap Gibby awake with her purse.

"Ew! Gibby! Wake! Up! Now!"

Gibby bolted awake and looked around furiously, awaiting Sam to torture him.

Brad chuckled. He thought it was highly amusing how sweet, innocent little Carly Shay was turning into violent-Sam-mode when it was about boys. Unfortunately, this was not about him.

"Sam, come on now, we're leaving." Carly reminded the lazy blonde.

"Naah, just go without me, I lost interest." Sam retorted.

Carly looked to Freddie with a demanding and pleasing look. The brunette boy sighed.

"I'll get her." He said, walking over to her.

"No, Benson, what are you doing? Bensooon!" Sam screeched as Freddie simply picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. She hated that he was a stong football player now.

"Benson! Put me down! If someone can look up my skirt, I will kill you and only you, you heard me?!" She yelled.

Freddie pulled her skirt a little more towards her knees.

"No worries, Puckett. I'll watch out for you demonic butt."

She growled and hit his shoulder once more.

Brad, Gibby and Carly laughed and followed their bickering friends down the stairs.

Spencer awaited them in the living room. It was their own little tradition to take a picture whenever they would leave for a party.

"Let me dooooown!" Sam yelled and pounded onto Freddie's back again. He winced at her loud voice in his ear.

Spencer didn't hesitate and took a quick photo of the little parade that was coming down the stairs and grinned at them.

"You ready?"

Carly nodded at him and Freddie put Sam down next to him.

She punched his chest, hard and Freddie winced.

"I hate you!" She growled and glared at him.

Freddie rubbed the spot where Sam had hit him. "Yeah, yeah. Now make a smily face."

"The girls between the guys!" Spencer commanded and Sam hurried to Freddie's other side to stand beside him and Brad.

The boys put their arms around them, Brad and Freddie towering over Sam to both sides. They smiled a few seconds while Spencer took photos, some nice and smiling, some goofy.

"Can we go now?" Sam groaned after what felt like the hundredth set of flashlights.

"Yes, the cab should be here, too." Carly smiled and hopped to the door.

"Bye, Spencer!" She chirped and waved to her brother.

"Bye Carly, behave yourself!"

"Yeah, yeah!" She vanished through the door.

Sam groaned and followed after her. "Bye Spence."

Spencer's brows furrowed and he looked worriedly at the boys that were left in his living room.

"You will look after them, won't you?" He asked earnestly.

Freddie patted him on the back.

"We will, Spence, no worries."

"Yeah, we'll look after them and bring them back safe." Brad assured.

"Good. Have fun, guys."

The three boys waved and called their goodbyes to him.

Sam stretched and yawned. She was still lying on the bench under Carly's window in her room. She looked at the clock on the brunette's bedside table. 11:29 AM.

Sam scratched her head and got up, sneaking out of the room quietly, only led by the snoring sounds of her friends.

She walked down the stairs only to hear Carly's door close once again. Sam turned and saw Gibby walk down the stairs behind her, his hair badly messed up.

"Morning." He said.

"Morning, Gib." Sam replied and continued to walk down the stairs.

"Hey, you're up early." Spencer greeted them. "How was the party?"

Sam and Gibby sat at the counter, while Spencer put two cups in front of them.

"Coffee?" He asked, the two seventeen year olds nodded.

"Awesome." Gibby said.

"Until Carly caught Shane kissing another girl." Sam added.

"Oooh." Spencer inhaled sharply.

"Oh yes." Sam sipped her coffee.

"She drank two shots and it was over." Gibby said.

"Over?" Spencer asked, sounding worried.

"You know how well Carly takes alcohol." The blonde answered from behind her cup.

"Yeaaah, I do..." Spencer said, obviously remembering the first time that Carly had gotten drunk. After going to a cocktailbar with Sam, Freddie and himself. She had only drunk two cocktails and was totally over the top.

Spencer shuddered.

"What about Freddie and Brad?" He asked instead.

Sam snorted into her beverage.

"Ohh... you know... those football players... People like them... They like to drink with them on the last game..." Gibby stumbled, trying to cover up for his friends.  
"They were so drunk we had to almost carry them."

"Thanks, Sam." Gibby said sarcastically. She stuck her tongue out at him.

Spencer grinned. "Oh kids... Don't worry, I won't tell their Moms."

"Yeah, well... You got anything to make some waffles?" Sam asked and stretched again.

"Nah, but I can run to the grocery-store... They won't be up for a while, right?" Spencer said.

"Definitely not."

"We came home at 5:30 AM."

"Okay, probably not." Spencer agreed and shook his head again at his little sister and her friends.

"I'll be off then, see you guys later!" He chirped and left the apartment.

"You wanna watch some girly cow?" Sam asked as she walked towards the couch.

Gibby shrugged and followed ensuite. "Sure."

Three hours later Sam put three mugs and a thermos jug of steaming hot coffee on a tray.

"I'll wake them up, can you handle the waffles, Gib?" She asked and turned towards the boy with the rose apron in the kitchen.

"Sure."

"And don't let Spencer near that, he'll just make it burst into flames."

"I HEARD THAT!" Came Spencer's voice from the couch.

"Yeah, yeah." Sam waved him off and started making her way up the stairs.

Sam tip toed towards Carly's door, opening it quietly and walking through. She turned on Carly's light only the slightest bit to wake her friends as gentle as possible.

"Caaarlyyyy..." She whispered in a melodic voice. It had gotten their tradition, too, that the one who hadn't drunk the night before and was up first would wake the other gently. The waffles... well, they were a little extra because Sam was in a good mood and she wanted waffles.

"Carly, wake uuuup! I've got coffee!" Carly groaned and turned in her bed.

Sam set Carly's mug onto her bedside table and walked over to Freddie and Brad.

"Braaaad. Hey, Braaad! Fudge-boy, wake up!" She shook the boy lying on the floor with one foot up on the ice-sandwich-couch slightly. "I've got coffee."

Brad shot up almost immediately.

"I'm up, I'm up, where's my coffee?!" He was still half asleep, but the smell of coffee was to him, what the smell of bacon in the morning was to her.

Sam chuckled at him. "I'll set it on the couch table."

"Benson!" Eventually she stepped over to the couch table, set the tray down and turned around to wake the boy lying on the couch, still sound asleep.

"Bensoooon! Wake up!" She poked his face with her finger. He only slapped her hand away.

"Nub, come on, wake up!" She shook him gently, but he just turned on his back.

Brad had sat up by now and taken his coffee, chuckling at her attempts to wake the school's quarterback up. Then he frowned when his murder headache hit him.

"Suits you right, boy. You were so drunk you would've made out with that weird hair-bow-girl."

"What? Really?!" Brad shuddered.

Sam nodded and gave him "the look".

"You called her 'Carly'. Maybe you should watch out what you say, even when you're drunk, if you don't want her to find out."

Brad gulped. "Yeah... Thanks."

Sam nodded and turned to look at Freddie. She frowned.

"Benson, wake up or I'll make you!" She said in a normal voice that sounded like thunder to Brad's ears.

"Go away, Sam." Freddie mumbled and slapped his arm over his face.

"You will stand up or I will sit on you." The blonde threatened.

All she got was grumbling.

Sam shrugged, turned and simply sat on Freddie's stomach with full force.

A yell and an escaping breath could be heard from the boy as he shot up in shock with Sam sliding into his lap.

"Morning." She grinned at him.

"What the hell did you do that for?!" He yelled, but before Sam could answer a groan could be heard from Carly's bed and a pillow hit Freddie right in the face.

Sam and Brad almost toppled over from laughing.

"Nice hit, Shay." Sam gasped for air.

"Yeah, thanks for waking me so gently, you two." Freddie grumbled as he took his cup of coffee from Brad who was still sitting on the floor, shaking violently.

Sam, who was still sitting in Freddie's lap turned back towards him.

"Hey, I was trying to wake you all genlty, but you were sleeping like a dead man!"

He gave her a look over his cup.

"Ask Brad! He's my witness!"

"She really tried, dude." Brad grinned at him and Freddie sighed.

"Fine."

"What do you say to nice people who serve you coffee?" Sam raised her eyebrow at him.

Freddie groaned. He had just woken up and there Sam was, sitting in his lap, making his life miserable already. Hold on a second... Sitting in his _lap_?! ... Oh whatever. He had coffee.

"Thank you, Sam." He said and she grinned even more.

Sam slowly got up and walked over to Carly.

The brunette had sat up and was sipping her coffee quietly.

"You want some aspirin?" Sam asked, brushing some of Carly's hair out of her face.

"Yes, please." She croaked.

Sam nodded and turned to get some.

"You boys want some, too?"

Brad and Freddie nodded. "Please."

Sam smirked. She liked to be thanked.

She returned only two minutes later and tossed each of them their aspirin.

"Go and take a shower, Spencer's sharing his. Gibby's making waffles for us, so hurry up, Momma's hungry." Sam announced and left the room.

Sam was just setting the kitchentable as she heard a scoff behind her. She turned and saw no other than Fredward Benson standing in the living room. Shirtless. And watching her. Well, she had to admit that playing quarterback had him gain a great body. He had muscles on his arms and chest and even a sixpack.

"Like what you see, Puckett?" He grinned at her, toweling his hair dry.

"Tss. You wish. Now go put a shirt on, before I do it for you." Sam replied smoothly.

"Why? Your eyes say you like it just the way it is right now." He grinned at her.

"Oh well," She said walking over towards him and stopping a few steps away.

"Your body isn't too bad." She said smiling at him.

Freddie grinned contentedly, then Sam's smile vanished and a mean smirk appeared.

"If only your face wasn't on top of it."

Freddie's grin disappeared and he grimaced at her.

At that moment Brad stepped out behind him, a towel over his shoulder, as well, no shirt on.

"See," Sam motioned towards him, "Brad here looks much better, because _he_ has a hot body _and_ hasn't got your face over it, Benson."

Brad walked past Freddie and chuckled at them.

"Good one, honey pie." He told Sam and high fived her. Sam and Brad had been cooking together in and out of home economics class for the past year and had developed nicknames for each other. As always, Brad made awesome fudge, so he was Sam's fudge-boy. As they all came to know since Carly's last birthday, Sam was an amazing confectioner and therefore became Brad's honey pie. Actually, her honey pie was what he liked best.

Brad held Sam's hand a little longer and kissed the top of her head.

"And thanks for making breakfast." He mumbled and left for the kitchen.

Sam smiled and looked after him for a brief second, before she turned back to Freddie.

His frown was deeper than before, Sam wondered, was he really angry with her?

She stepped over to him and took his hand and tugged at it, smiling slightly up at him.

"Come on, you know I didn't mean it that way. Let's go get you some breakfast, 'kay? The world will be brighter after you ate, I promise." She squeezed his hand and he squeezed back after a moment, his face brighter than before.

Sam lead Freddie towards the kitchen were they sat side by side with Brad and Gibby.  
Carly came down a few seconds later, throwing the boys shirts they had installed in her cupboard several days before and sat down with them.


	3. Chapter 3

Sam and Carly walked into school that day, huge grins on their faces.

It was February 14th and they had great things planned for the day. It had been Carly's idea to surprise their boyish friends and Spencer and with a little convincing she got Sam to help her, too. Chelsea, Spencer's fiancée was out of town, so there was no problem in stealing him away for the night.

Carly gave Sam a nod as they spotted Freddie, Gibby and Brad waiting for them at their lockers, Sam turned around and quickly dissappeared into the hallway.

"Hey Carls. Where's Sam going?" Brad greeted the brunette.

"Oh she has to find Wendy to give her back some homework." Carly replied nonchalantly.

Sam was actually on her way to Brad's, Gibby's and eventually Freddie's lockers to slip their first hints into. They had planned a little treasure hunt that would give them enough time to prepare everything in the loft. Carly had taken care of Spencer, sending him throughout town after he came back from the junkyard that afternoon.

"Why are you grinning like Sam, Carly?" Freddie asked anxiously.

"Yeah, why do you look like devil herself?" Gibby furrowed his brows.

"What? Oh nothing, I was just thinking about my plan to get a date with Shane tonight." She replied smoothly. The girls had it all planned out perfectly. There was no question that she couldn't answer with a smooth lie, Sam had trained her.

"Ah." Freddie replied, clearly showing his disinterest and Brad frowned.

"Do you still need anything from your lockers? Or are we ready to go?" Carly asked, closing her own locker.

The boys shook their heads and they headed towards their first period.

Sam stood by her locker after second period, waiting for the boys to come to her. She would provide them with their second hints for the day, sending them off into different directions.

Gibby was the first to come to her. He looked deeply confused.

"Hey Sam."

"Hey Gib." She replied smoothly.

"Listen, I've got this card, I think it's a fake, telling me to come to you an-"

"No, that's right. It's no fake. It's a little treasure hunt Carly and I set up for you boys." She grinned.

Gibby smiled. "Really? That's sweet! Thanks, Sam!"

Gibby had broken up with Tasha about three month ago, because she had been too over-protective and super jealous.

"Here's your hint." Sam handed him a card with his name on it.

The chubby boy took it and hugged her quickly, beaming down at her, then walking off.

Sam chuckled.

"Oh and Gib!" He turned around.

"Yeah?"

"You didn't hear anything I just told you!"

"Didn't hear what?" He grinned back at the blonde.

"Good boy." She laughed. "Now go!"

She was still shaking her head and grinning like an idiot as she looked after him. She didn't know it would make him _that_ happy. She grew to really like the weird boy and his ways. He was nice, kind and loyal. Not any less weird than in sixth grade when they first met him.

Gibby would find his next hint in the cafeteria, which would then take him to the gym, where he would have to do 20 push-ups until Carly would waltz in and hand him his next hint.

The next boy to find her was Brad.

"Hey, honey pie." He smiled at her and gave her a tight hug. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"You, too." She smiled. Brad was special to her. Not only did he make the best fudge in the world and provided her with free masses of it, no, since they were cooking together he had grown to be her best friend. She liked to think that he was the twin brother that Melanie never was. She wasn't scared to show her affection towards him, even though the school thought they were secretly dating or something. She didn't care. She had never cared much what people thought about her, but after staying with her friends for so long, she came to be more affectionate towards Carly, Freddie, Spencer and even _Gibby_, too.

"You found the hint?" Sam asked.

"Of course I did. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy when I started laughing like a mad man."

"Why were you laughing like a mad man?" Sam raised an eyebrow.

"You signed it with 'Honey Pie &amp; Cupcake'. Kinda clichée, don't you think?" He grinned down at her.

"...Maybe." She gave in before laughing along with him. They hadn't thought of that.

"So you're doing what? A treasure hunt? For me?" He looked curious.

"Maybe us. Maybe someone else. Take your hint and find out." Sam smiled sweetly.

Brad took the hint, pressed it to his chest and bowed before her.

"Yes, m'lady!" And with that the light brunette boy took off running towards his history class, where he would find the next hint, sending him to the Groovy Smoothie.

The blonde looked after him, still smiling. Then, a movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention.

Sam turned to her left and saw Freddie leaning against the wall that led to his locker, seemingly unsure what to do. People were passing by between them, but Sam didn't break their eye-contact. Freddie looked kind of sad, she registered. Sam squinted her eyes and tilted her head to the side in confusion, then, when he wouldn't move, she sighed and eventually walked over to him.

"What's up, Fredward? You look sad. Nobody gave you a gift for Valentinte's Day?" She grinned at him.

"Haha." He said. "I got plenty."

"Of course you did." She said sarcastically and he pointed towards his locker that was bursting with pink and red little cards.

Sam's face fell. She had once again forgotten, that he was the quarterback now. He was hot. And popular with girls. The blonde bit her lip.

"Well, did you-"

"I found yours and Carly's card." He said.

Sam's face lit up in relief. "What? Then why didn't you come and find me?! We told you to!"

Freddie sighed and a look of hurt seemed to cross his face.

"I saw you and _Brad_ and didn't want to interrupt your... whatever." He said.

Sam looked at him quizzically. Whatever? Why was he behaving so weird?

"Well... okay then. Here." She held out a little card adressed to him. His second hint. It would lead him to his chemistry class, where Mr. Eisenberg would do a little chemistry-trick and finally hand him his third hint. The third hint would lead him to the pear store, where his ex-chef, Nathalie, would hand him the next hint, which would lead him to the fire escape.

Sam had planned Freddie's treasure hunt all by herself. She wanted it to be special. She knew for a while now, that she had started to like him ever since their first kiss three years ago. She wasn't ready to tell him how she felt yet, so she wanted to make this treasure hunt that was hers _and Carly's_ at least a little personal for him. Carly had been okay with that. She had been assuming Sam's feelings for Freddie for a while now and was sure for her assumptions to be correct when Sam had asked her to do Freddie's all by herself.

Freddie looked at it. He looked more than confused.

"What is this?"

"Well, you won't find out, until you open it." Sam said in a 'duh'-tone.

The brunette slowly took the card and opened it.

"What's that supposed to mean: 'Congratulations, you've found me! Was about time, nub! Now go and hurry off towards your next class. Don't get blown up'?" He asked a little anxious.

Sam grinned.

"Bye, Fredward!" She waved and hopped off, leaving a confused Freddie.

Sam grinned like a maniac as she entered Carly's apartment.

"Helloooo Miss Shay!" She yelled.

"Hey Sam." Carly smiled. "You ready to cook?"

"Momma's always ready! You've gotten everything at the grocery store?" Sam smiled and threw her backpack next to the door.

"Yes. You can start right away." She looked at the clock. "Oh! I have to go and give Brad his next hint at the Groovy Smoothie! And Spencer his at the art's centre! You know where to find everything?"

"Sure, just go!" Sam laughed at her friend and put the rose apron on.

She was cooking one of her favorites. A waffle bouquet filled with heart-shaped waffles, heart-shaped cookies with everyone's names on them, a watermelon-owl, self-made sushi, heart-sandwiches and, of course, her one and only honey pie. She was usually not up to all that hearty stuff, but today was different. This was for people she loved with all her heart. To show them how much she cared. So she put all her energy into preparing the food.

It would take her several hours, she really hoped Carly would keep the boys distracted until she was done.

Halfway through her work, Carly came back and announced everything was going as planned. Sam grinned and Carly started to decorate the apartment, humming happily.

"Wow, Sam, that looks gorgeous!" She exclaimed as she came to the kitchen and looked over Sam's shoulder. Carly tried to sneak a bite, but Sam slapped her hand away.

"No nibbling, Shay."

"God, you're so weird when you cook yourself." The brunette giggled and walked away. Sam smiled. If she was cooking herself, everything she cooked was a master piece that needed to be perfected. She allowed no nibbling or stealing, not even to herself.

Freddie stepped onto the fire escape and spotted the little pink card taped to the emergency ladder immediately. He smiled. He knew that this had to be a message that was directly from Sam. Not from Sam _and Carly._ It had to be from Sam and only Sam. They hadn't told Carly where they had had their first kiss. It meant much more to him than to her, but she didn't know that of course. He liked Sam, he liked her more than any girl before. Maybe, maybe he even loved her. And it had all started on this fire escape. But he couldn't tell her that. She was so close with Brad... it would only be a matter of time until she realized that she was in love with the boy and it made him sad. It made him sad to see the looks Sam gave him, but more than anything he wanted her to be happy. If Brad made Sam happy and smile like that, then he was okay with that. Well, maybe not okay, but he could live with that.

The brunette sighed, sat down on the window sill and opened the card.

Nub. Congratulations, you found your last hint. Didn't think you'd make it.

Well, maybe I did, because otherwise, I wouldn't have lead you here. Here. Onto the fire escape. Actually, to me - as sappy and mushy as I may sound now - it feels like our fire escape. Because... well, you know what happened here. I know we still fight a lot, but you know I love you, right? You're my best friend and what happened on this fire escape is still one of the best memories I have of us. I'm glad that you remained your nubby little self, although you're quarterback and girls are all over you now. Keep it that way - or else.

Love, Sam

Freddie smiled. He hadn't thought that Sam would write him such a personal card. He was happy and smiled like an idiot. Then, he spotted the little note at the end of the page.

P.S.: Now get your nubby butt over to Carly's, quarterback!

Freddie chuckled. This was so Sam.

He gently folded the card and put it into his pocket as he stood up. He turned and made his way over to Carly's.

He opened his apartment door and found no one else than Brad standing before him.

"Hey." He smiled.

"Hey." Freddie greeted back.

"Good that you're here. My note says I have to wait for you guys until I enter." Brad said.

"You've got those hints, too?" Freddie looked confused and a little hurt, that his two best friends didn't do this little treasure hunt only for him. But on the other hand, he should have known better.

"Yeah and it seems like Gibby and Spencer did, too." Brad pointed towards the Shay's door where three more pink envelopes could be found.

Freddie grabbed the one with his name on and read it.

"Yeah, mine says I have to wait, too." He said and sighed.

"I wonder how long we will have to wait-" Brad started but was interrupted by two voices coming down the hall.

"Ah, you guys are here, good." Gibby said.  
"What? Why are you not surprised?" Freddie questioned.

"Sam told me this morning that Carly and her were doing a little treasure hunt for us." Gibby shrugged.

"What? Why did she tell you, but neither of us?" Brad asked a little upset.

"I don't know."

Freddie sighed. "Here, take your envelopes. Does any say other than to wait for us and then enter the apartment?"

Spencer and Gibby grabbed their envelopes and read them quickly.

"No."

"Nope." They replied.

"Good, then let's enter. I'm curious." Spencer said.

Freddie nodded, knocked on the door and opened it. They stepped in, but were stopped by the sight before them immediately.

There was no electric light, instead, there were myriads of candles on the floor, on the table, on the shelves, on the kitchen counter and on the stairs accompanied by thousands of rose petals. Everywhere. The couch and couch table were moved out of sight, replaced by a huge amount of pillows and blankets. In front of the TV was a huge amount of food. Freddie could see sushi, cake, sandwiches and something that looked like an... owl?

"Happy Valentine's Daaay!" Carly and Sam jumped out from behind the kitchen counter and made the thunderstruck boys jump violently. Carly had her and Sam's hair curled gracefully, she wore a dark pink, asymmetric dress with quillings on the side that held the dress over her shoulder. Sam wore a red dress with a little skirt on her waist and black tights. They looked perfect for Valentine's Day.

"Carly, Sam!" The boys smiled.

"W-What is all this?" Spencer asked a huge smile on his face. The girls could tell he was deeply touched, he had a little too shiny eyes as he looked back and forth from the food to them.

"This is for you." Sam smiled. "We wanted to thank you-"

"And show you how much we appreciate what you do for us." Carly continued.

"You're all awesome and we love you so much." Sam said with so much love in her voice, it was more than unlikely for her.

"You do so much for us and support us and we just wanted to give at least a little bit back to you." Carly said, her voice was getting thick and emotional.

Spencer was the first to move forward and hug his little sister.

"Thanks Carly. Happy Valentine's Day." He smiled.

Gibby walked forward, too and wrapped Sam in a giant bear-hug.

"Thanks Sam. No one ever did anything like that for me. You two are the best." He told her quietly. Sam smiled into the chubby boy's shoulder.

"No problem, Gib. You're the best, too. And the weirdest." She grinned and he laughed, releasing her.

"And proud." He smiled back.

"You should." She told him and patted his arm.

Then Spencer turned towards her and Gibby went over to hug Carly.

"Sam, you cooked all this?" He asked as he leaned down to hug her tightly.

"Of course I did! Since Carly has inherited your special ability to set everything on fire..." She laughed.

"Even in heart-shape!?" He said questioningly, as he stepped back from the blonde.

"Of course. Even Sam Puckett can get girly if it's for a special occasion. And if she wants to thank her almost-big-brother for letting me ... well... _live _here with you." She smiled at him.

"No problem, kiddo." He grinned his goofy grin and pulled her into another hug with one arm.

"I love you, Spence." Sam said and squeezed him tightly.

"I love you, too, kiddo." He said and ruffled her hair.

She laughed and shoved him away.

"So am I gonna die, if I eat any of this?" He said as he looked at the food on the floor.

"Spencer!" Carly and Sam exclaimed at the same time and laughed at the weird adult.

"Is that honey pie I see on the floor?" Brad asked smiling brightly as he stepped over to Sam.

"It sure is, fudge-boy." Sam grinned. "And it's better than ever."

"How's that possible?" Brad scoffed disbelievingly.

"It's made with love." Sam smiled lovingly, looking over towards the pie.

"Thanks for setting all this up, girl." Brad said and hugged her.

"Thank _you_ for being yourself and helping me so much." She could feel him smile into her hair.

Brad pulled back and kissed the top of Sam's blonde hair.

"Stay awesome." He said smiling genlty and walking over to Carly, wrapping her in a shy but tight hug.

Sam grinned. Would he ever have the guts to tell Carly, that he liked her? Maybe, if she build up enough courage to tell Freddie how she felt. She could just hope for Brad that his hopes weren't turned down like hers would.

She turned around and found Freddie standing a few steps away, watching her closely.

"Fredward." She said. Oh great, now she remembered what she wrote on his last hint and felt the heat rush to her cheeks.

"Samantha." He said, slowly walking over to her.

"Happy Valentine's Day." Sam said awkwardly.

Freddie half-smiled at her. "To you, too."

There was a heavy silence settling between them and Sam was determined to not let that happen.

"So... you found all the hints, huh?"

He grinned, remembering her last card as well. "Yeah. Pretty girly for someone like you, leading me _there_, don't you think?"

Sam blushed even harder and she glared at the brunette in front of her angrily.

"Oh, you know what, Benso-" She started, but was interrupted by Freddie stepping forward and hugging her, pulling her close against his chest.

"Thanks, Sam. It was the best part of my day up until now." He whispered into her hair.

She smiled and hugged him back, squeezing him.

"And I love you, too." He whispered almost inaudible.

But Sam caught it. She knew exactely what he meant, but couldn't keep the butterflies that were erupting in her stomach to stay in their little cage. A giant smile grew on her face and she pressed herself against him, never wanting to let go of that boy that she had known for so many years, the boy that had always been by her side to support her and who had never really changed.

"Thanks for everything, Freddie." She told him and unwillingly stepped back from him.

"So who's ready to eat?" Carly, who had sensed an awkward silence about to settle upon them said.

"Me!" Spencer yelled, Brad raised his hand.

"Gibbay!" Gibby exclaimed. Freddie and Sam just laughed at their crazy little bunch.

"Okay, we got a waffle bouquet filled with heart-shaped waffles, heart-shaped cookies with everyone's names on them, a watermelon-owl, self-made sushi, heart-sandwiches and, of course, my one and only honey pie." Sam pointed towards each food.

"Additionally," Carly said, walking over to the fridge, careful not to knock any candles over, "we have rude beer, Wahoo!Punch, lemonade and Peppy Cola."

The boys grinned, ordered their beverages and plopped down on the pillows, pulling the plates towards them, filling them with food.

Carly and Sam sat down next to each other, watching the boys pile huge amounts of Sam's delicious food on their plates. Their surprise had been a complete success. The four guy's eyes were shining happily in the candle-light and their faces were plastered with wide grins.  
Sam turned towards her best friend and held her hand up. Carly smiled and high fived the blonde, before pulling her into a girly hug, too.

"I love you, Sam."

"I love you, too, Carls."

They grinned at each other and then helped themselves to some of the delicious Valentine's Day Menu.

"Woah, I'm stuffed." Brad said and leaned back onto the pillows next to Carly.

"No surprise, since you ate almost half of that pie!" Freddie laughed at him and Sam, who was leaning on his propped up knee rolled her eyes.

"Didn't you taste it? It was sooo gooood!" Brad exclaimed, rubbing his full stomach.

"Yeah, you've gotten kind of round tonight." Carly said, rubbing his stomach with him.

Sam, Freddie, Spencer and Gibby burst out laughing at the sight of Brad's face.

His eyes were huge in shock and his mouth formed a perfect O.

"Sorry, just kidding." Carly giggled.

Brad didn't move.

"I'm sorryyy!" She said and leaned down to hug him.

Brad's face lit up and Sam laughed even more. That confused Freddie, but he didn't care, he just laughed along with her. He loved how her curls bounced when she laughed and how her eyes sparkled.

It was a great night, they were talking, watching some terrible movies and eating all night long. It was the best Valentine's Day ever.


	4. Chapter 4

The students at Ridgeway High still looked funny at them when they walked by, laughing and actually acting like... _friends_. The tough tomboy and girl's volleyball captain and the weirdo with the restaurant in the school's basement.  
Sam grinned and remembered the incident that got her to become close friends with Gibby.  
Sam had dated Daniel, a lacrosse player for about five weeks before he broke up with her. In public. With almost the whole school around, watching them.

/Flashback./

"You're violent and agressive and a bad kisser!" He yelled at her.  
Sam furrowed her eyebrows in anger. Violent, okay. Aggressive, okay, she was aggressive sometimes. But a _bad kisser_?! There were several guys in the watching crowd, like Pete, that could easily say different, but they didn't. They seemed to be too shocked that someone actually dared to talk to _Sam Puckett_ like that!  
"Oh, am I?" She snarled. "Is there anything else you'd like to say, _Daniel_?"  
"Yes! You are the most terrible girlfriend I ever had! And you are a disgusting eater with terrible manors!"  
Sam crossed her arms over her chest, raising an eyebrow and putting all her weight on one leg.  
"You're ugly and-"  
"Shut up, Butthead!" Someone yelled from the side.  
Sam turned her head, expecting Freddie or Brad, although she knew they had a football-meeting between classes. Carly had a meeting of the yearbook club and couldn't be her saviour either. So _logically_, who could that be?  
But to her surprise it was Gibby. Her look turned from angry to surprised. What was Gibby doing? She always ripped on him and still kinda used him. They were friends, sure, but not _that _close.  
"Aww, is the little weirdo sticking up for the bully? What a romantic tragedy. Better get away from her, Gibson, before she gets you into jail, too, just like her whole rotten family." Daniel snickered and looked around at his friends, who all laughed along.  
Gibby had stepped up to Sam and Daniel and stood in between them by now.  
"Oh well, you know-" Gibby started, but then he swung his fist at the jerk's face in an instant.  
Sam's eyes widened as she heard a satisfying crunch as Gibby's fist collided with Daniel's jaw.  
"I'm sticking up for a friend, you jerk. And Sam's a better person than you will ever be." Gibby growled at the boy on the ground who was clutching his face.  
"Ouch! You fucking little weirdo, Gibson! Get him!" He bellowed to his fellow lacrosse players. They lunged at Gibby after a brief moment of shock, but he was awaiting them with his fists up.  
Sam growled like a lion and jumped into the next lacrosse player that she could reach.  
"Six against one isn't what I'd call fair!" She yelled as she ripped the first guy to shreds, landing a few pretty good punches to the guy's face and stomach. She could see that Gibby was fighting like a giant bear. He boxed and wrapped his arms around one guy, throwing him against the lockers. This short disturbance of her concentration got her into trouble. One boy, Tom or what's his name, pinned her against the lockers, grinning triumphantly. The blonde grinned back mischievously and let her knee collide with the boy's southern regions. He buckled over, hitting his head against the locker beneath her face. Sam grinned.  
Then, suddenly, Tom was yanked away from her and thrown to the ground. Her blue eyes searched for the one who had yanked him away from her and saw a huge boy pinning the next lacrosse player to the lockers on her right.  
It was Taylor, the football team's captain. He was in Sam's biology class and they got a long well. He was the only one in the whole school who stood a chance against Sam in an arm wrestling match.  
As she looked past him, she could see Brad and Freddie, fighting two more lacrossers.  
Gibby punched his opponent a last time, before his victim went running, seeing that the rest of the footballteam was approaching.  
Daniel stood there, looking absolutely panicked.  
"This isn't over, Puckett!" He yelled, before he bolted away, followed by his friends.  
"I think it is, you chicken!" She screamed after him.  
"Are you all right?" Taylor asked her, planting a gigantic hand on her shoulder.  
"Yes, thanks, man." She said and relaxed for a second before remembering her savior.  
"Gib!" She bolted towards him.  
He stood in the middle of the hallway, panting heavily, blood flowing from his lip and his right eye looked terribly red. It would swell in only a few minutes, she could tell.  
"Gib, you dumbass! Are you okay?"  
"Yeah," he breathed heavily and then started grinning, "I got them pretty good."  
Sam laughed. "Yes, you did, Gib. Thank you."  
"No problem. What are friends for, after all?" He said nonchalantly.  
Sam smiled, amazed by that weird boy's loyalty.  
She looked around for the other boys. Taylor was barking at the watching kids, clearing the crowd. Freddie stood beside Brad, watching her and Gibby, rubbing his fist. She smiled at him and mouthed a quick _thank you.  
_"Come on, Gib, let's get you something for your eye." She said eventually and patted his shoulder.

/Flashback end./

"Sam? Sam!" Gibby waved his hand in front of her face.  
"What?"  
"You were totally spacing out. I said what do you think of self-made gelato to serve at _Gibby's_?"  
"Oh, yeah, great idea." She said and smiled.  
The break-up with Daniel had been a few weeks ago, before Gibby broke up with Tasha - which she thought was still a bit her fault, because she had cared for Gibby after that. She had been thankful and felt guilty for his black eye. After that, the wedgies and bullying lay off and they opened _Gibby's_ were _real _friends and partners now and although the student population of Ridgeway still wasn't used to it, Sam didn't mind it and even appreciated the weird boy that had used to walk around shirtless.  
"And how about some spaghetti tacos?"  
"Whatever you want, Gib, whatever you want."


	5. Chapter 5 - A Special Day Part 1

"Sam! Sam, hurry up! Come on! We need to get going! We'll be late!  
"Uggghh! Mel! Shut up now! I know that! It's those shoes! How am I supposed to run with those things?" The blonde complained to her twin sister, running after her as best as she could, with her high heels and without messing up her hair or dress.  
"It's your own fault! Why did you have to celebrate so long!"  
"Excuse me?! Because we just _won the championship_?! How could I _not_ celebrate?"  
"Samantha Puckett! Don't play dumb! You know exactly why! Spencer's wedding starts in 30 minutes and we still have to drive to the other end of town! I'm happy for you, but you don't want to miss this, do you?" Melanie turned and gave her a look, as she opened the cab-door for her sister.  
"Yeah, yeah, I know, I hate it that you always have to be right." Sam grumbled as she got in.  
"I know." Melanie smiled and got in after her, then she urged the cabdriver to hurry up, while she was frequently checking her watch.  
Sam looked into the little mirror, Melanie had put into her purse. Melanie had pinned her still slightly wet hair up with bobbypins with little pearls on them, she had furthermore dragged her into her dress for the wedding, a bordeaux colored almost knee-long dress with heartshaped decoltée and a nice little band of pearls under her chest. Even Sam thought it was pretty, although it was a rather girly dress. Her make-up was fitting, but decent, Melanie had done well.  
"Mel, relax, we'll be in time."  
"Pah! In time!" Melanie snapped back. "We have only 20 minutes left and still a very long way to go!"  
"Woaah, okay, Mel." Sam rather mumbled to herself than said to her sister and turned to look out the window. It was a sunny day in june and the sun was shining down on the twins in their cab. Sam had been shocked and highly depressed, when she had been informed, that their championship game was on Saturday, June 16th, the same day as Spencer's and Chelseas's wedding. Sam had tought that her team would have to play without her, although she knew that their chances of winning would decrease when she wouldn't be able to play. Now she knew, that they would've lost without her, because even with her playing it had been a terribly hard fight. But then, Melanie had stepped in and made her world spin again. Melanie had told her, that she didn't need to worry, she herself would come to her game to watch her and her team win, while Carly and all the others couldn't be there with her. She told her, that she would take care of Sam's hair, make-up and dress and that they'd still be in time for the wedding. Sam had spontaneously hugged her, she had never loved Melanie more than in this moment. She had burried her in "thank you"s and "you're the best"s and had even kissed her cheek, before Melanie had shoved her away, telling her that she was being creepy and should turn back to normal.  
Sam grinned at the memory from a few weeks ago. It had been pure coincidence that Melanie had been there on that specific day.  
"Come on come on come on," seemed to have become Melanie's mantra during their ride. Sam sighed and decided to give her sister some of the kindness back.  
She grabbed Melanie's hand and squeezed it gently to calm her sister. Melanie's eyes widened in shock and she looked at Sam questioningly.  
"It's going to be okay, Mel, I promise. They won't start without us." Sam smiled at Melanie and after a moent, Melanie smiled back and relaxed a little.  
"Thanks, Sam." Melanie squeezed her hand back and leaned back in her seat.

30 minutes later, they turned up at the church where the wedding was held in. Melanie payed the cabdriver and they sprinted up the stairs to the entrance and burst through the doors.  
Inside it was cool and quiet. They almost crashed together with the bride and her father who were just walking into the entrance-area from a little cabin to the side.  
"Sam! Melanie!" Chelsea exclaimed, rushing over and hugging the twins. "You made it! I'm so happy!"  
"Chelsea!" Melanie cried in shock.  
"Yeah, we did it, but we thought you'd have started already! What happened?!" Sam asked as Chelsea released them  
"I wanted to wait for you two, so I waited until the last second, but we really have to get going now!" The bride answered with a bright smile.  
"You look beautiful, Chelsea." Melanie smiled at her and Sam nodded.  
Chelsea grinned. "You look creepy when you stand beneath each other like that and put your 3000 watt smiles on."  
Melanie and Sam stopped smiling immediately and looked at each other. Chelsea laughed heartily at them.  
"We have to start now, honey." Chelsea's father reminded her and she nodded.  
"See you when you're newly-weds." Sam grinned and took Melanies hand to take her with her.  
They hurriedly tippled down the sideline of the church on Spencer's side and sat beneath Carly, her granddad, Colonel Shay and Gibby in the front row, who welcomed them with wide smiles and warm hellos. Sam looked through the church. It was beautiful. Chelsea and Spencer had eventually come to terms in the case of decorations and decided on white lilies, sprinkled with colour - not by Spencer - at the aisle-facing side of each bench.  
She saw Freddie and Brad stand beneath Spencer, all three looking towards her and Melanie. The twins waved and smiled at the boys and they could see Spencer give a sigh of relieve.  
"Your game?" Brad, and shortly after Freddie, mouthed. Sam gave a thumbs up and both boys broke into proud grins. Melanie giggled at that.  
"They're so weird."  
"And why's that, Mel?"  
"They're protective like hell and are proud of you. It's almost like you're the gay couple's daughter."  
Sam burst into laughter as the music began to play.  
"You're weird yourself. Since when do you express yourself so urban?" She whispered to her sister as they turned to watch Chelsea glide down the aisle in her beautiful white dress.  
"Since you came more attached to talking to me." Melanie grinned back over her shoulder, but Sam could see that there were already tears in her eyes. She was still such a girl.  
Of course, Carly was in tears, too, even Colonel Shay looked a little watery around the eye-area.  
Spencer had his goofy grin on his face and didn't lift his eyes for a splitsecond from his bride. Freddie and Brad had their cameras put into action, they were the official fotographers and video-tapers of the wedding-ceremony.  
Chelsea was already crying as her father handed her over to Spencer, who was still grinning like a madman.  
The priest started his speech and Sam had to confess, that it was actually touching. When Spencer and Chelsea spoke their vows the whole church was in tears, even herself. She could see Freddie and Brad desperately clutching at their eyes, so they wouldn't drop onto their camera-lenses. She smiled. Stupid geeks.  
"I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride now." The priest said to the pair and Spencer didn't need to be told twice. He threw his arms around Chelsea and dipped her deep down, kissing her passionately.  
The church errupted into cheers and clapping. The priest jumped at the sudden outburst, for this was not likely at all, but smiled at the happiness in the audience' faces.  
The newly wed pair made their way down the aisle, cheers and whistles from every side. Slowly, Sam, Carly and the others followed them with everyone else.  
Freddie and Brad sat in the white carriage that Spencer had arranged to Chelsea's surprise to bring them to their next destination, they taped everything and took the most beautiful photos of the pair.  
Sam and Melanie rode with the remaining Shay's and Gibby in Colonel Shay's big Hummer to the little chateau where the wedding party would be held. Carly and Melanie were gushing at Chelsea's dress - although they had been with her to pick it out - and the decorations and the ceremony and everything else that girls would talk about. Sam was meanwhile in a heated debate with Gibby, if everything would go as they had planned. Colonel Shay and grandpa Shay were rather quiet during the long drive through the outskirts of Seattle. They might still couldn't believe, that _Spencer_ of all people, was finally married. Actually, they all coudln't really believe it. Spencer, their manchild, the most chaotic artist anyone could know, was married. He was about to be a dad. He had to grow up eventually, Sam had sad, which earned her a clap to the back of her head from Carly - the girl was lucky she was her best friend.  
They arrived at the wide green lands of the chateau and parked their car several hundred metres away from it. The carriage was still nowhere in sight, just as Carly and Chelsea's sister Blair had planned it. The guests were to arrive first - which was not t_hat_ complicated, considering that it was a 20 minute drive and that the carriage was pulled by four horses - and would welcome the pair with roses, music and sparkling wine. And the best of it - they had no idea. Spencer had wanted the carriage to surprise Chelsea, but everything else was in the hands of mainly Carly and Blair who knew their siblings best. They walked into the great hall of the chateau where the members of the Gibby's-crew were putting up the first part of the catering-utensils. Sam and Gibby excused theirselves and ran off to help put everything to perfection.  
"Sam! Sam!" Melanie ran after her sister.  
"What?!"  
"Here, take aprons, you two, you can't get your robes dirty!" She handed them aprons _out of her purse.  
_"Wha- How- Melanie! Did you steal Hermione's purse?!" Sam exclaimed as Melanie bound Sam's apron together at her back.  
"Maybe." She smiled before turning to help Gibby.  
"Thanks, Mel." Gibby smiled and then ran off with Sam.  
Melanie stood still and smiled. The two of them had been cooking for weeks and weeks in advance. Trying different tastes, shapes and completely different dishes that Carly, Blair, Freddie, Brad and herself had to taste and give frequent improvement tipps and votings from 0 to 20. Brad had offered to help, but Sam and Gibby had silenced him, that this was their contribution to the wedding, he would already be handling photographs and videos. Two weeks ago Sam and Gibby had started to drill their crew-members' teamwork to perfection and two days ago, Sam had started on the wedding cake. Melanie had no idea what there could still be left to do, but she could already see Sam and Gibby run from side to side, from edge to edge, looking into bowls and tasting things, sending some of the people off again to improve the food.  
Melanie shook her head. She liked the way that Sam had changed in the past two years. She was kinder due to her tremendous training where her aggressions were mostly extinguished. Now they had gotten more and more like actual sisters and Melanie enjoyed having the long lost bound with her sister back. It was great how passionate she was with her sport, but also with Gibby's which could hold a golden future for her, a future nothing like their mother's, and she was happy for her, very happy. Sam had finally found the strength to believe in herself, a strength that her friends in Seattle had given her. Not their mother, not Melanie, no, it had been Carly, Freddie, Brad and even Gibby that had given her that strength. Melanie was beyond thankful for that, but she was also a little sad that it couldn't be her who gave her the strenght to believe in herself, she was her twin sister after all. Of course Sam didn't know any of this. She would laugh at her - she was still not a girly girl after all - and punch her or something - and Melanie couldn't use a bruised arm on a day like this.  
"Melanie! Melanie!" Carly screeched from the huge winged glass doors that led out to the green lands.  
"What? Sorry Carly, I wasn't paying attention. Can you repeat that?" Melanie shook her thoughts of her twin sister off and turned to her friend.  
"I said could you check if the roses are all here and start handing them out to everyone? Freddie texted me, they'll be here soon!"  
The blonde nodded. "Sure!"  
Fifteen minutes later, Sam barked her last commands at her crew and was then almost stripped out of her apron and carried away by Gibby. He knew, Carly would kill them if they weren't in the front row of the welcoming-comit  
for Spencer and Chelsea, roses in hand, their speeches prepared in the back of their minds.  
They were just on time, barely two minutes passed when they could see Freddie's back and Brad's brown hair approaching side by side, Spencer and Chelsea walking behind them, admiring the chateau.  
When the pair set eyes on all their friends and family all ligned up, awaiting them with wide smiles, all roses in hands they stopped dead. Chelsea's hand flew to her mouth due to the side before her. The smiles that spread on their faces were gigantic.  
Carly and Blair stepped forward to welcome and congratulate the newly weds and hand over their roses. So it went on and on until the last rose was handed back to Carly and Blair, because Chelsea and Spencer couldn't hold a hundred roses and still hug people properly. Then Sam and Gibby - who had snuck back inside to take care of the last finishing touches on the catering - announced it would be time for the guests and the VIP's of the day to walk through the glassdoors and take their seats. Carly and Blair led Spencer and Chelsea to their seats at the front of the hall. The other guests were shown to their seats by Melanie and Freddie, Blair and Carly while Sam and Gibby had jumped back to the kitchens and Brad was taking pictures all around.  
When everyone was seated Gibby stepped up onto the podest where today's VIPs sat and whispered to Spencer:  
"Spence, if you want to say something before we serve the food, now would be the perfect time. Otherwise, we'll be ready in about five to ten minutes to serve the first course."  
"Sure, thanks Gib. Could you tell Carly to hand over a microphone or something?"  
"Sure, no prob." Gibby answered and walked off towards Carly's desk.  
In a matter of minutes a microphone was handed to Spencer and he stood up, gaining everyone's attention in a split second.  
"Well... This is awkward." Began the new husband.  
"You're awkward!" A yell could be heard from behind the kitchen doors that would most likely belong to Sam. The audience laughed and Spencer pulled a face.  
"Great, thanks Sam." He said sarcastically.  
"No prob, Spence!" She yelled again, earning more laughter.  
"Okay, apart from this little comedic skit, I wanted to tell everyone who's here that we are more than thankful and delighted that each and every one of you is here today to celebrate this special day with me and my beautiful bride. We love you very much and we'd most like to thank our sisters. Carly, Blair, come up here!"  
Carly and Blair stood awkwardly and walked up to Spencer and Chelsea.  
"Thank you so much for planning this whole wedding. It's not half over and we're already in a state of absolute bliss. Thank you so much. You're the best." He smiled at them and hugged the two young women.  
"And we can't forget our other helpers that have already and will continue to make this day the most beautiful for us." Chelsea continued for her husband who was lost in a hug with his sister.  
"Sam and Gibby, I know you can hear us back there in the kitchens, we know your food will be amazing, thank you so much for cooking. Everyone, if you want a great restaurant, nice waitors, and definitely great catering - Gibby's should be your place of attention." She began clapping and the audience joined her directly.  
"Furthermore, big thank yous to Melanie for your good taste in decoration that had saved me more than one time from Spencer's weird ideas-" Spencer gaped at his wife in fake-shock. "- and to Brad and Freddie who are our photographers today. We expect perfect photos and videos, boys!" She grinned at them broadly.  
Sam appeared in the kitchen doors, a sign for Chelsea.  
"Well, if that isn't good timing. The first course is ready, everyone, I hope you're hungry!" she smiled and put the microphone off.  
Sam opened the doors and a flood of waitors streamed out the doors followed by Sam and Gibby who were serving the weddingpair in their aprons themselves.  
"Aren't you going to eat?" Spencer asked Sam as she put his plate of small crab-eclairs, beautifully shaped tomatoes with mozzarella, melon and a pumpkin-aubergine-pastry in front of him.  
"We're eating in the kitchens, if we have the time." Sam answered him.  
"But Sam, Gibby, you're our guests, too, not just our caterers." Chelsea complained.  
"It's okay, Chelsea," Gibby said. "This is our first big caterer-job. We have to make sure everything is perfect, if we want to establish this part of our business. Eating is not that interesting."  
"Well... let's say we don't miss anything." Sam grinned at him.  
"Are you sure this is okay?" Spencer asked with a worried look at Sam. He knew she was under high pressure for at least two weeks now.  
"Sure, Spencer. Has Sam Puckett ever backed down from anything?"  
"No." Spencer grinned at her. Sam turned and walked down towards the kitchens.  
"Look out for her." Chelsea whispered to Gibby and Spencer nodded to her.  
"Don't worry guys, she knows what she's doing. You just enjoy your wedding and don't worry about us." He smiled and hurried off after Sam  
Three hours later, the third course was long finished and Sam was satisfied with their performance. She sent her waitors off to prepare cake-plates and cutlery while she set the finishing touches on the wedding cake that would soon be rolled in.  
"It looks great." Said a voice from behind her and made her almost jump, if she hadn't awaited one of them to come find her. Well, not _her_, the cake rather.  
"I know, Fredward, thank you."  
She could hear him snort at her comment.  
"Will you be ready soon?"  
"I'm almost finished..." She said distractedly.  
"Alright. I'll film the cake when you and Gibby shove it in, Brad will film Spencer's and Chelsea's faces." She could imagine his slightly evil grin.  
"Alright... That's it. I'm ready." She said, stepping back to admire her work one last time and slowly pulling off her apron.  
"Beautiful."  
"I told you, I know that." She said, turning around to him, but to her surprise his eyes weren't on the cake, but to her. She felt her cheeks become hot.  
"Dumbass." That seemed to snap him out of his staring.  
"So you won the championship?" He quickly changed the subject.  
"Of course. Did you expect any less?" She grinned at him, resting her hands on her hips.  
"Not really. I'm just sorry we couldn't be there to support you."  
"It's okay, the wedding was more important. Championships are every year." She waved him off, but he wouldn't let the topic die.  
"Sam, really, I'm sorry. I would've loved to be there." He said, looking her directly in the eyes.  
"Thanks, Fredward." She slightly smiled back at him.  
Gibby opened the door and looked in.  
"Sam? Can we go? Oh, hey Freddie, you're ready?"  
"Sure."  
"Yeah."  
"Good." Gibby smiled, stepping beneath Sam, who was standing behind the cart with the cake on top.  
Freddie set his camera into motion.  
"You ready?" The two nodded and started walking.  
The guests were amazed by Sam's cake. It was a perfect mixture of girlyness and boyishness, of order and creative art, simply, a perfect mixture of Chelsea and Spencer. The newlyweds had big eyes as the cart approached them.  
"Sam! We can't cut this cake! This is perfect!" Chelsea exclaimed and hugged her tightly.  
"You have to! I haven't spent hours to create it so it would rot somewhere!"  
"But Sam-"  
"Don't discuss with me, Mrs. Shay!" Sam grinned at her and crossed her arms under her chest.  
Chelsea sighed and Gibby handed her and Spencer the cutting knife.  
"I love you." Spencer whispered in Chelsea's ear before they cut the cake.  
"I love you, too." She beamed back and gave him a quick peck, before they cut.  
Everyone was stuffed to the fullest and the remnants of the cake had been just enough for Gibby and Sam to share a piece, when they set out with their waitors for one last time that day. The snacks for the night were placed in the gigantic fridge in the kitchens, only the cake-plates needed to be gathered and put into the also gigantic dish washer.  
But that didn't mean, that the two could relax from now on.  
Carly's plan was starting right now. Throughout the hall, one by one, people would stand up, walk over next to Spencer and Chelsea and say a few words to the audience and the pair itself. Carly herself would start off, followed by Blair, their parents and grandparents and then Sam and Melanie before the boys and everyone else.  
Sam was glad that she was one of the first people to hold her speech, and furthermore she was glad to have Melanie by her side. She was exhausted and who knew what would come out of an exhausted Samantha Puckett when she was holding an emotional speech? Probably not too much, but she was sure to try to express her feelings.  
Carly stepped up to her brother and her sister-in-law and clicked the microphone on.  
"Hello everyone. I'm Carly, as you might remember." She laughed a shaky laugh. Sam knew that she didn't like to start this, but she'd have to and if her heart was in it, the peppy brunette would do a good Job  
"Spencer, you're the most awkward and chaotic big brother that anyone could think of, you know that."  
"Everyone knows that." Sam mumbled and earned giggles from Melanie to her left and a snort from Gibby to her right.  
"But you're also the best big brother I could wish for and you know I love you beyond belief." Spencer smiled her teary smile back at her.  
"And I'm so, so, so happy for you, that you've found Chelsea. She's perfect for you, you're perfect for _each other_ and I can't think of a pair that compliments each other better."  
Spencer and Chelsea both gave her a look with raised eyebrows, which she ignored.  
"Chelsea," She turned to the redhead. "I love you very much too. In those past years you've become my advisor if I needed a woman or even just an _adult_" she shot Spencer a sharp look and Sam snorted, "to talk to. You've been there for me when I needed you, but never tried to be more to me than my friend and I want to thank you for that. You're not a crazy maniac, you're not weird or creepy like _some_ of our neighbours-" Sam, Melanie, Spencer, Gibby and Chelsea (and Sam was sure Brad nearly dropped his camera to the right of the podest) burst out laughing. "-You're just amazing. Kind, loveable, caring and you don't set everything you touch on fire."  
"ALMOST!" Spencer yelled as he jumped up. "ALMOST EVERYTHING!"  
Carly laughed at her brother.  
"Thank you, for everything you've done for me, you two. I love you so, so much." She finished with a thick voice and then quickly went to hug the newlyweds.  
The audience started clapping and some aunts and grandmothers wiped their eyes.  
Next up was Blair, Chelsea's little sister. She was a few years older than Carly and Sam, but her speech was just as joyful and emotional as Carly's. She was followed by Socko, Spencer's best man. He made his speech the opposite of quick, talking about their camping trips with his grandmother, the socks and his various cousins. But eventually he ended and Sam was only half-asleep.  
Chelsea's parents followed him and next was Colonel Shay who held his speech short, but was talking about how proud he was of what a man his son had become and that his and Carly's mom would've been so very proud of him.  
"And she must be smiling in heaven upon you and your beautiful bride you picked for yourself. Chelsea, my wife would've loved you like her own daughter, you're just like her in so many ways. Please treat Spencer with the same respect and love that my wife has treated me and make him as happy as she had made me." That was it. Even Sam was tipped over the edge by the Colone's words and had to hurriedly search for a handkerchief in her purse to wipe her eyes and blow her nose.  
After Chelsea's best friends and Grandpa Shay, it was finally Sam's and Melanie's turn. They looked like a perfect match - that of course was Melanie's work. Sam's bordeaux dress with the beige pearls on the belt under her chest and in her hear were reviewed on Melanie's dress' belt and hair. Melanie's dress was the same beige as Sam's pearls and Melanie's pearls were the same shade of bordeaux as Sam's dress. They looked simply perfect, up to the identical golden jewellery.  
Sam and Melanie stood in front of all those people, each a microphone in hand. Melanie took a step closer to Sam, took her hand and squeezed it for a quick moment. She was nervous, Sam knew, it was up to her as the elder sister to make her feel at least a litte more comfortable. So she squeezed Melanie's hand back, shot her a quick smile, took a deep breath and started their speech  
"Spencer and Chelsea. I think you know just how much we love you and how thankful we are for everything you've done for us. Spencer, you're like a big brother to us, I've spent more time in my life with you, at your house and mostly - in your fridge." The guests laughed and Spencer was smiling so bright his face might split into two.  
"I know, I don't show it that much, but I'm grateful for everything you did for me - for us." She looked at Melanie who nodded.  
"Yes." She picked up. "Spence, every time I came home from boarding school and even before that. Every time our mom wasn't around you welcomed us at your place, sharing your food, your love, even your bed, when I had nightmares. I don't know what we would've done without you."  
"Although, I gotta say," Sam interrupted her sister. "I never thought you'd find the one who was crazy enough to marry you. You know I love you and everything, but you're chaotic! And as Carly said, you set everything on fire spont-"  
"ALMOST!"  
"YES, _almost _everything on fire spontaneously..." The audience was quiet, maybe even a little shocked over Sam's rough words. "But you did it. Chelsea, I don't know what's wrong with you that you want to spent your whole life with this chaotic man, but I'm grateful that this something _is_ wrong with you, because apart from all that weirdness and chaos, Spencer's an awesome guy. But I don't need to tell you this." She smiled at Chelsea and she smiled back.  
"Chelsea, we love you, too. You're none like Spencer's other weird girlfriends. They were all pretty-"  
"More or less." Sam interjected. Melanie elbowed her.  
"They were _all pretty_." A little pause. "But they were all maniacs. I don't know where Spencer found them, but there was a quote of 90% rising steadily that were maniacs. But you, you're different. We've known each other for several years now, Sam's spent even more time with you and if even her worst comment about you is 'sickeningly nice and caring', then you must be the one that fits in our little family perfectly." Melanie smiled at her.  
"Thank you for joining us." Sam smiled and the twins strode over to hug them.  
"You two are amazing." Spencer grinned at them."Yeah, that was a speech that I want in my wedding-tape!" Chelsea smiled and hugged them tightly.  
"Thanks." The twins smiled and eventually handed their microphones over at some friends of Chelsea's who were awaiting them.  
After that, Fredide, Gibby and Brad entered the little stage.  
"Spencer and Chelsea." Freddie began. "We don't want to come up with old stories-"  
"- But since there are so extraordinary many, we can't spare you." Brad continued, a boyish smirk on his features.  
"We are very sorry." Gibby grinned.  
Sam was crying from laughter as the boys told a few stories from the last few years. How Spencer had introduced Chelsea to them and Chelsea had asked if they were all his siblings or how Chelsea had cooked for them and told Spencer to stay out of the kitchen and the whole stove was suddenly on fire, just because Spencer had salted the food. They told the story how amazingly stupid the intern before Brad, Cort, had been and that Chelsea's only move had been to call him a "Todo" all the time, which had confused him grately. They also explained the circumstances how Chelsea came to ride a bull and carry a half unconscious Spencer on her back, while Gibby was running around them, throwing flowers into the air, while Sam was on the floor, having a laughing fit. All that was portrayed by photos which made it even funnier  
"Enough with the stories now, boys." Brad said and wiped an imaginary tear from his eye, turning towards the pair beside them.  
"Yeah, let's get down to business." Freddie turned towards Spencer and Chelsea.  
"Gibbbaaaaayyy." Gibby said, making the other two boys' heads turn towards him in unison. Sam didn't know if it was planned or not, but it earned them another wave of laughter.  
"Okaaay." Freddie and Brad turned back towards their former destination.  
"Spencer, you mean so much to us. We're three boys without fathers and the 'man-time' we had was amazing." Freddie started off.  
"You were a big help in those past few years, if we needed advice on girls -" Brad said.  
"Although it often contained the use of cheese in several ways." Gibby interjected.  
"That is true." Brad grinned as he saw Chelsea turn to Spencer with a confused, but amused look on her face.  
"You were always there and told us what we needed to hear." Said Freddie.  
"Although we didn't always want to hear it." Added Brad.  
"We owe you big time, man." Gibby smiled sympathically at him.  
"And Chelsea. You were always the rather sane one." Brad started off.  
"We owe you, too!" Gibby grinned.  
"Yeah, because if Spencer would give us an advice concerning the use of cheese in any way-" Brad laughed.  
"We could always rely on you, to give us sane advice from another point of view." Freddie grinned.  
"And we want to thank you for that." Brad smiled.  
"Both of you contributed a big part to the persons we are today." Freddie smiled.  
"Personally, I think they did a good job." Gibby said.  
"Yeah."  
"Yea, me too." The boys agreed grinning at each other.  
"Therefore, we would like to present you our wedding-present, live and in motion!" They shouted. "Carly! Roll down the screen!"  
A giant white screen rolled down behind them.  
"Turn on the projector, Socko!"  
And on the screen started a fifteen minutes long video, showing special and casual days in the last three years, together with short greetings and congratulations from famous people, that had already been on or that watched iCarly. For example OneDirection, the Plain White T's, Jackson Colt and many others.  
Melanie and Sam had identical smiles plastered across their faces. It was a beautiful present. They were a little jealous, they had to at least admit that.  
The queue of people who wanted to say something to the pair seemed to take no end. But eventually it did. Sam was glad. It was almost 10:30 PM now and everywhere on the green had been lampions enlightened, creating a little dancefloor, where Spencer led his bride proudly for their first dance as husband and wife. It was beautiful, even to Sam. She still stood there, just watching them from the sidelines as everyone else was already dancing along with them.  
"Hey honeypie." Said a voice. She didn't have to turn to know who it was.  
"Hey fudgeboy." She threw him a half smile over her shoulder.  
"How are you feeling?" He stepped next to her, their shoulder touching slightly.  
"Tired. Terribly tired." She sighed and let herself sink into him. He immediately steadied his stand and put an arm around her.  
"I tought so. Do you want to lay down somewhere? My car's just around the corner."  
"Nah, thanks. I think I just have to stay until the bride and the groom leave."  
"Hm. You sure?" The light brunette looked down at her worriedly.  
"Yeah, I can do it, no worries, Brad." She managed a smile, that was soon swallowed by a yawn.  
Brad laughed at that.  
"All right, I see that. How about we hit the dancefloor for a little, to make sure you don't fall asleep standing here?"  
"Good idea, I guess." She smiled and took his hand.  
Brad led her onto the dancefloor where everyone was currently rocking to Bon Jovi. They danced right between Freddie and Melanie, Gibby and Chelsea and Spencer and Carly, who welcomed them with broad grins.  
"Would you mind switching?" Freddie asked Brad after some time. Brad shook his hand and the boys exchanged the twins in a twirl.  
"Hello there." Freddie grinned down at Sam as she collided with his chest and looked up at him a little confused.  
"Huh? Where'd Brad go?" Sam looked around confused, only to catch Melanie's gaze that was as confused at her own as she stood in Brad's arms.  
"We changed dance partners. You got a problem with that?" He asked mockingly.  
"Ohhhhh... welll..." Sam acted as if she was thinking, but a slight clap on the arm made her drop the act and she laughed. "Of course not, Nub."  
"Good choice, Puckett."  
"Why?"  
"Because if you'd said anything else, you would be spinning around and around and around until you didn't know your own name anymore." He grinned evilly, something he had learned from her.  
"Oh is that so, Benson?"  
"Yes, yes, Puckett. But you made the right choice, you're lucky."  
Sam raised her eyebrows at him before she snorted and started dancing again.  
"Are you done shooting for tonight?" Sam yelled over the music after a few moments.  
"No, we still have to film their departure." Freddie yelled back over the loud bass of Metallica's Enter Sandman (It was Spencer's wedding after all, they didn't really wonder about the music anymore).  
"I see."  
"Why?"  
"Oh, just wondering."  
"Why?"  
"Because the moon's pink, nub. I was just making conversation."  
"I see."  
Sam rolled her eyes at him. He was sooo weird sometimes.  
It took three and a half more hours until Spencer and Chelsea decided to make their leave to their honeymoon sweet. A large stretch limo pulled up in the driveway of the chateau, that would bring the pair to a nice five star hotel on the other side of Seattle. The next day they would leave for their honeymoon on the bahamas. Everyone was jealous, they hadn't even covered it up.  
Spencer and Chelsea said goodbye to everyone and eventually ran through the path that their friends and families were forming for them, while they threw rice and flowers at them.  
But the party didn't end with that. Chelsea's family was a very talkative one and so it went on with dancing and talking and eating the snacks from Gibby's for one and a half more hours. Sam and Gibby had gotten many compliments and handed out many of their freshly printed cards during the evening, so at 3 AM, Sam called it quits. She took off her high heels - she was amazed that she had been able to walk in them for that long, but now her legs were shaking from the day's events and the exhaustion that had naturally come with them. She went to look for Carly and Melanie but didn't find any of them, so she walked back into the great hall, leaned against a wall on the opposite of the doors, slowly drifting to sleep.  
She was almost asleep, when she heard tapping noises approach her. She opened a sleepy eye and saw that it was Melanie, who had also put her shoes off. Melanie said nothing, she just curled into a ball on Sam's right, resting her head on her twin's legs.  
"'Night, Sammy." She mumbled, Sam could only groan.  
The next time Sam woke, was when Melanie lifted her head from her legs. Again, Sam opened a sleepy eye and saw Carly approach the  
"Good, I found you." The brunette sighed, then she sat down on Sam's left, leaning her head against a pillar next to her  
Sam leaned her head against Carly's shoulder and felt Melanie snuggle back into her lap as she did so, before she went off to sleep again, this time hopefully without further disturbances

"Freddie!" Brad yelled over the chateau's green from the winged doors that led into the great hall.  
"Yeah?"  
"I found them!"  
"Oh, thank god, I'll get Gibby." iCarly's tech producer said and ran to fetch the restaurant owner.  
"Where are they?" Gibby asked as he and Freddie approached Brad about five minutes later.  
Brad stopped them in front of the winged doors and motioned for them to be quiet and follow him inside.  
Freddie and Gibby saw nothing at first, but when they had crossed the room, they could eventually see them.  
Brad looked at his two friends and saw the same soft smile spread on their faces that had materialized on his face mere minutes ago.  
Before them were Sam, Melanie and Carly, cuddled together under a tablecloth that one of them must have ripped off the nearest table. Melanie had rested her head in Sam's lap, an arm stretched out over Carly's legs, Sam had a protective arm resting on her waist. She was leaning against Carly, using her head as a pillow. The brunette had her head leaned against Sam's head and her hand rested on Melanies arm that was covered by the blanket. They looked adorable. Their faces were angelic and peaceful, which was no surprise with Melanie and Carly. But now you could see that Sam and Melanie looked really identical. Usually, when awake, their expressions and behaviour were so different, you didn't notice the exact similarities. Although Brad had recognized one difference. The dark fleck that Sam had on her left cheek, was on Melanie's right cheek.  
"Are we supposed to... you know, wake them up?" Gibby asked eventually after a quite awkward long time of staring.  
"No." Freddie said. "Let them sleep. We're three strong boys, right? Let's just pick them up and bring them home."  
"Sounds good." Brad said.  
Gibby nodded and stepped forward to pick Melanie up. It was easy for him as if lifting a bottle of water - at least it looked that easy. Freddie and Brad stepped forward, gladly taking their secret crushes in their arms.  
Sam woke - again. She groaned into Freddie's shoulder.  
"Shh, Sam. Go back to sleep."  
"Nub?" She mumbled sleepily.  
"Yeah, it's me. Don't worry, go back to sleep."  
"Whaddaya doin'?" She slurred as if she were drunk.  
"We're getting you girls home."  
"What about the chada- chata- the castle?"  
Freddie laughed at that. "Colonel Shay and Grandpa Shay are locking it up."  
"Oh, okay..." She mumbled and snuggled back into his shoulder.  
"Hmm... Freddie?"  
"Yeah?"  
"You smell nice." She pressed her nose into his chest.  
"I do?"  
"Yes."  
"Like what? Bacon?" He couldn't help but laugh and throw a sarcastic comment back at her.  
"Dun be stupid. You smell like Freddie."  
"Alright Sammy." He chuckled. "Just go back to sleep, I'll get you to Carly's."  
"Whaddabout Carly and Mel?" Her head jerked up a bit at the thought.  
"Brad and Gibby are just behind us carrying them. You can rest now."  
"Hm okay." She mumbled and let her head sink again.  
"'Night Sammy." He mumbled into her head and even dared to kiss the top of her head.  
"'Night, 'eddie." Sam slurred before she fell back asleep.  
Freddie smiled goofily. He smelled like 'Freddie'. And that smelled 'nice'. That was a good sign, wasn't it? But on the other hand, she wasn't the Sam from a few years back. She was still a riddle to him.  
'Great, Freddie, you confused yourself again.' He thought as he put Sam in the backseat of Brad's car. Gibby and Brad followed ensuite.  
"I'm so glad you got your grandma's big VW bus, dude." Gibby said as he climbed after the girls to fasten their seatbelts and sit in front of them.  
"Yeah, who knew Carly wouldn't be able to drive home herself." Freddie said and shook his head as he climbed into the passenger seat.  
"Yeah. Woah, dude, you have no idea how much I'm looking forward to my bed." Brad yawned.  
"You don't need to tell me. I feel like I could sleep on the spot!" Gibby said.  
"Don't do it!" Freddie laughed. "We couldn't carry the girls _and _you!"  
"I'll do my best." Gibby said grinning.  
They had propped up Carly's room with a hilarious amount of pillows and mattrasses. Every last inch was covered up by something comfortable. The boys put the girls down only a few steps away from the door and covered them in blankets. They just wanted to leave the room and go sleep in the iCarly studio, as Sam's voice could be heard.  
"Don't go."  
They turned, in confusion. Was she talking in her sleep? No, Sam's head was up, her blue eyes sparkling in the light from the corridor.  
"Are you sure?" Freddie asked quietly.  
"Yes, now come here. I need a proper pillow, Benson." She demanded.  
Freddie looked at Brad and Gibby who seemingly were as confused as he was, but then Gibby shrugged and lay down beneath the girls. Brad and Freddie exchanged a last look, before shrugging themselves. Freddie went over to Sam and lay down next to her. She immediately snuggled up to him and put her head on his chest, while he put his arm around her awkwardly. He looked over to Brad who had a big grin on his face.  
"Good night, Quarterback. Don't try anything funny with my little girl." He winked at him.  
"Sure, Brad." He grinned back. He couldn't help it. He was still confused on the whole Sam-and-Brad-relationship, but right now, he couldn't be happier. A heavily breathing Sam in his arms and finally, _finally_ the permission to drift off to sleep. He couldn't be happier.


	6. Chapter 6

It was christmas and the Shay residence resembled a shopping mall with all the lights and decorations. Carly had made it her number one priority to make this the best christmas ever, because it wouldn't be too long before they all went off to college. It would be another year and a half before they finished high school, but you should never argue with a determined Carly Shay. So they all just agreed and put full effort into the whole christmas thing.  
Gibby had bought a beautiful tree, because as he said he 'knows how to handle a gentle tree'. Whatever that meant. They were all too used to his weirdness to really question it.  
Sam, Spencer and Brad had vanished into the kitchen and were only coming out if they needed to use the bathroom or the fire extinguisher. Visitors were allowed only for tase-questions or other utterly important things.  
Carly was running around with Chelsea, Spencer's newly wedded wife, re-decorating every corner of the apartment - it wasn't perfect enough - while Freddie was forced to rearrange the blinking lights in various colours.  
"Freddie are the lights working yet?"  
"No Carly, I'm-"  
"SHUT UP AND HURRY!" Shouted a very stressed Carly.  
"Okay! Geez, what's up with her these days?" The brunette boy mumbled as he stepped over to Gibby and the christmas tree which he was decorating _again_, because Carly thought it was not 'christmas-y' enough.  
"You know Carly, dude. You should never argue with her whenever it comes to boys or planning parties."  
"Guess you're right." Freddie sighed and continued to unnestle the lights. "But doesn't she think all her decorations during christmas time weren't enough already? Why do we have to redecorate everything, just because it's christmas _eve_?"  
"HURRY!" Bellowed Carly, as she walked by and slapped Freddie over the head with whatever she'd been carrying around with her.  
"I told you so." Gibby said.  
"Geez, she's getting more and more like Sam..." Freddie grumbled, rubbing his head.  
"Benson!" Said blonde bellowed from the kitchen counter. Freddie cringed.  
"Yes?"  
"Come over here, we need you to help Brad carry Spencer out of the kitchen!"  
"What?! Why?!" Spencer appeared next to Sam.  
"Because," Brad's voice came from behind them, "it's the third time that you let the stove burst into flames!"  
"What?! That wasn't on purpose!"  
Freddie walked over and he and Brad grabbed Spencer and carried him out of the kitchen, while Sam turned to clean up Spencer's mess and save the food from more burning.  
The blonde girl growled as she could still hear the bickering from the boys and the manchild. She hated to re-do everything that Spencer let burst into flames. It had become less, lately, but still, this was christmas, for heaven's sake! It had to be perfect! She actually hated giving anything out of her own hands and sharing her tasks concerning food, but even Sam Puckett had to admit that she wasn't able to cook for 10 people out of which there were 3 teenage boys and two Pucketts in only 8 hours. She would have to cook for about 15 people, if she wanted them all to be well-fed at the end of the night. She was glad Brad was with her on this, they had often cooked together and made a good match in the kitchen.  
Sam checked her watch. 5 hours to go until dinner.  
"Brad!" She barked like a chef. "Get back here!"  
"Sam!" Carly suddenly screeched from behind the blonde.  
"What?!"  
"What are you wearing?!"  
Sam looked down, obviously confused.  
"Er... clothes, Carls. Got a problem with that?"  
"Yes!"  
"Huh?!"  
"You have to change! Mrs. Benson and the others will be here in half an hour!"  
"Yes, yes, Carly, just let me finish the caketopping." Sam said and turned around to finish her work.  
"No, you have to go _now_!" Carly whined. "You have to shower, you have to get your hair and make-up done and-"  
"CARLY!" Sam barked. "Shut up now, will you?! Go make sure the boys don't get their socks over their ears or something and let me finish this. I'll be ready when Crazy and the others come, I promise."  
Carly sighed in defeat and turned around.  
"Fine, but I'll make you be nice to Craz- I mean, to Mrs. Benson, if you're not ready."  
"You'd do that anyway." Sam sang after her.  
"I knohooow!" Carly sang back as she walked over to the Benson household, where the guys were getting ready.  
"Sam?"  
The blonde turned around furiously.  
"What?! - Oh! Hey Chelsea. Sorry, I just got to finish this..." She trailed off as she turned towards her cake again.  
"Sure. Just leave the tools, I'll clean them for you."  
Sam drew her last decoration on the cake and sighed.  
"Really?" She smiled at the redhead. "Thank you."  
"Sure thing. Now go get ready before Carly gets a heart attack."  
The blonde smiled and bolted towards the stairs.  
"Sam! Sam are you ready yet?"  
"Yes, Shay, now relax a second."  
The door to her room opened and Sam stepped out.  
She had her hair down casually, still curled perfectly. She wore a tight black dress with her arms and the back covered in lace, black heels on her feet, bright red lipstick on her lips.  
"Wow. Not bad, Puckett." Carly smiled. "Now let's get down! They'll be here any minute!"  
Carly grabbed her hand and hurried down the stairs, looking closely at her white heels and white tulle dress. They looked like light and darkness, Sam mused grinning.  
As they finally appeared in the living room, Chelsea was helping Spencer with his tie. She wore a dark blue dress and black heels and Spencer wore his once so beloved tuxedo.  
"Lookin' good, Spence." Sam grinned.  
"You too, girls." The manchild smiled back.  
They exchanged kind words with Chelsea and before anyone could say anything more, someone knocked on the apartment door.  
"AHHHHHHH!" Carly and the person on the other side of the now open door screamed simultaneously.  
"Melanie." Sam groaned. "Why has she got to be so... _girly._"  
Spencer chuckled and turned to welcome Melanie.  
"Sam!" The blonde squealed as she jumped at her twin sister.  
"Hey Mel." Sam smirked at her.  
"I missed you!"  
Sam rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes, I've missed you, too."  
As Melanie stepped over to Spencer and Chelsea, Freddie and Mrs. Benson walked in, followed by Brad and Gibby.  
"Hellooo."  
"Hey Freddie, Merry Christmas." Carly greeted him.  
"You are aware of the fact, that I've went out of here only two hours ago?" He answered.  
Carly punched his shoulder.  
"Merry Christmas, Carly." He corrected himself.  
"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Benson." Carly smiled at the elder woman.  
"Yes, Merry Christmas, Carly." Mrs. Benson said flatly.  
Carly frowned, but soon turned to wish Merry Christmas to Brad and Gibby.  
Sam watched Carly's tries with Mrs. Benson and chuckled, before a chest blocked her view.  
"Merry Christmas, Puckett."  
Sam looked up and smiled at Freddie.  
"Merry Christmas, Benson." She grinned and stood on her toes to hug him.  
As they seperated another squeal could be heard.  
"Freddie!" and once again a petit blonde hugged the quarterback.  
"Hey Melanie." The brunette smiled down at her.  
While Melanie still hung at him he looked over to Sam and froze.  
She was glaring at her twin sister and biting her lip with one tooth.  
Melanie let go of him and stepped back, then she walked over to greet Mrs. Benson politely.  
Sam growled lowly.  
"Sam?"  
"What?" She barked at Freddie, while she still looked after her sister.  
"Are you alright?"  
"It's none of you business, Benson." She said and turned away to jump into Brad's arms.  
Freddie furrowed his brows at this. He was burning holes into Brad. Sure, he was his best friend, but he just couldn't keep calm when Sam, the girl he was madly in love with, was hugging him and cuddling him and... urgh.  
"You should maybe tell her, if you don't want to lose her, you know?"  
Freddie turned around in shock.  
Spencer stood behind him, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.  
"What?"  
"You know what I'm talking about, Freddie. But be careful. You know what she could to you."  
Freddie just stood there, mouth agape. Had he been that obvious? Damn. He really needed to control himself. The brunette sighed.  
"I'll go get the prossecco." Sam whispered to Carly and walked off into the kitchen, Brad instantly on her heels.  
"You're good, fudgeboy." She complimented him as she pulled out the glasses.  
"I know. Carly has instructed me to follow you every time you walk into the kitchen to help you and make sure you don't get your dress dirty."  
"She really did that?"  
"Totally." Brad laughed.  
Sam frowned. Oh Carly.  
"Well, then you might as well help." She turned and saw that he was already uncork the first bottle.  
"Thank you everyone for being here and celebrating with us tonight." Carly said shortly after from the stairs to her little audience.  
"I really appreciate it that you all came and I hope we'll have a great evening. Merry Christmas." She raised her glass.  
"Merry Christmas!" The others echoed and raised their glasses as well.  
Sam sipped her prossecco and directly bolted back into the kitchen to get the first course ready, Brad and Gibby jumped after her to help her carrying the plates and bowls of salad.  
"Everyone, please sit down, the first course arrives!" Brad yelled over the christmas music and the chattering of the remaining - not working - people.  
"Yay! I'm starving!" Carly said to Freddie and dragged him towards the long kitchen table that they had set up in the livingroom, next to the counter  
Dinner had been exellent. Sam and Brad had excelled themselves, now everyone was almost lying on their chairs, too full to move a muscle.  
"Sam, Brad, I hate you for this." Spencer said lazily.  
"Why?" Sam grinned.  
"You can't just go and make such delicious food! I ate way too much!" He complained and the two cooks - Spencer had actually only set everything on fire - grinned at each other.  
"It's okay, honey." Chelsea smiled sweetly. "You just won't get anything to eat for the rest of winter."  
"Wha-?! GIVE ME MORE, SAMMY!" He shouted and leaped over to her, away from his wife, while the crowd errupted into lazy laughter.  
"Well, I'd say time for the presents, but I can't move." Carly said and sank deeper into her chair.  
"PRESENTS!" Sam jumped up and ran to the couch that stood next to the christmas tree. She sat there, turning towards the others, still sitting in their seats, looking at them expectantly.  
"What are you waiting for?! It's presents-time! Come on!" She yelled over.  
They sighed and started to get up, moaning over their full stomachs.  
Sam grinned. Her friends were walking as if they were pregnant. Then she furrowed her brows. Pregnant? What if Chelsea really _was _pregnant? She would keep an eye on that.  
As everybody had sat down, Sam started to hand out the presents and eventually sat down to open her own little pile of nicely wrapped gifts.  
The first she opened was from Spencer and Chelsea. She chose this one, so she would know what was within before it burst into flames. She unwrapped the large rectangle and almost screeched in delight. It was the brand new food processor that she had been longing for for weeks!  
"THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!" She jumped up and down and then plopped onto the pair. Spencer and Chelsea laughed and hugged her as much as possible.  
"You're welcome." Spencer grinned.  
"I made sure Spencer didn't touch it once." Chelsea giggled at the blonde's behaviour.  
"Oh that's good, thanks Chelsea." Sam smiled at the woman.  
"Hey!" Spencer exclaimed and the girls laughed.  
Sam continued to unwrap her presents, grinning like an idiot.  
From Gibby she got a new cook book, from Carly and Melanie she's gotten the dress and heels she'd discovered when the two girls had dragged her to go shopping with them. Additionally, Melanie had framed one of the few pictures of both of them with their father and mother, before he had died and she had gone crazy. Sam felt her cheeks get wet and hugged Melanie next to her.  
"It's beautiful, Mel. Thank you so much." She leaned back and whiped her eyes. "Where'd you get this from?"  
"I found some old photo album somewhere in Mom's closet. I wanted to show it to you, but I thought the surprise would be better if you didn't know about it yet."  
"You succeeded." Sam smiled back and hugged her again - to Melanie's surprise. "Thanks."  
From Mrs. Benson - she was shocked she received anything at all - she got a small beauty-basket. She wasn't going to use half of it, but she thanked her anyway. Carly and Melanie had been rubbing off on her.  
Brad got her a necklace that made her gasp. She wasn't the sparkly type of girl that you could 'buy' with jewelry. Brad knew that. He got her a small simple silvern necklace that spelled 'Honeypie'. A small - most likely fake - diamond sparkled as dot over the 'i'.  
Sam walked over to him, wrapping him in a tight hug.  
"Thanks, Brad. It's beautiful." She smiled into his shoulder.  
"No problem, Sammy. Thank you, too." He grinned as he stepped back and held up his new watch - yes, Sam had been saving up a little money, Gibby's was going great after all.  
"You're welcome." She smiled and walked back to unwrap her last present. She had spared it until now, although she was the most curious what _he_ had gotten her.  
Calmly, Sam sat down on her spot on the couch and slowly took the little packet into her hands and started to unwrap it. It was a box, just like Brad's, only smaller. Those two had even been to the same jeweler. She grinned. They really w_ere_ best friends.  
She carefully opened her last present and gasped.  
It wasn't a necklace - this would've been just _too _hilarious. It was a silver bracelet, small and plain, just the way she liked it. He knew her well, she knew. There was a small pad with an engraving. Sam pulled it out of its velvet cloth and narrowed her eyes to read the engraving.

Not running away.

She turned it to see what the backside said.

Hate you, Puckett.

With a tiny heart behind it.  
Her brows furrowed. What was that supposed to mean? Of course, Running Away by A.M. was the song of their first - and so far only - kiss. Sure, they had told each other they still hated the other after that. But what did it mean to receive a bracelet like that? It meant he hadn't forgotten, yes, but who would forget that he had kissed famous Sam Puckett for his first? Nobody, that's who.  
_I should worry about that it meant nothing. I got that on his present, too without thinking anything._ Sam thought to herself and got up to thank Freddie properly.  
He had just unwrapped her present. Socks. She could see the look of confusion on his face, then he read the words that were sewn upon the socks.  
One spelled _Nub _with a small red heart next to it, another said _Quarterwreck_ with a football that was broken into half and the last pair had _Hate ya, Benson!_ on it.  
Freddie broke into a grin and his head shot up, to catch her eyes only to be slightly shocked that she already stood directly in front of him.  
"Great minds think alike, so it seems." She grinned down at him.  
"You made them yourself?"  
Sam nodded.  
"I didn't know you could do that." He grinned as he stood up.  
"There are many things I can do that you don't know about." She grined evilly.  
"Yeah, I don't really want to know, do I?" He laughed as she nodded.  
"Thanks, Freddie." She hugged him.  
"Thanks to you, Sam, I only went to buy something. Those socks... well they're not exactely _nice_, are they?" He laughed and she punched his shoulder in amusement.  
"Pah. You have no idea how long I spend on those damned things. I wanted to burn them about three times a day!"  
"Thanks Sam." He said again.  
"That I didn't burn them? Yeah, be thankful for that. It was awfully close."  
They laughed together before Sam sat back down next to Melanie.  
She sighed contentedly. This was perfect. Her family (well, excluding Mrs. Benson and more or less missing her Mom) was there with her, everywhere was love around, they were well fed and got amazing presents. What a night.  
Her gaze wandered over the people and rested on Freddie. He caught her looking at him and winked at her. She smiled and felt her cheeks burning up simultaneously.  
Geez, she had serious problems with that boy. She was falling for him more and more. How troublesome...  
Freddie saw Sam staring at him and winked at her. She smiled, if he wasn't imagining things even her cheeks got a little pinker than their usual color. The brunette boy smiled. He had hoped that she had gotten the hint. The hint to their first kiss and of course she did. But he thought she might not have gotten it the way had he wanted her to. He had wanted her to get the hint that this event had been special to him and that he was _not running away_ from the good things anymore. Not running away from her and from what they had or could have.  
But unfortunally for him, great minds _did_ think alike and she had used their 'hate' for each other, too. In a platonic meaning - or so he thought.  
But what would it do him good if he wondered about Sam and her behavior all night. She was Sam Puckett. Dangerous as fire and unpredictable like a storm. But he loved her anyway.


	7. Chapter 7

Wow. Okay, this one was exhausting! It's rather Seddie-less in the beginning but I hope the second half will please you :)

Thanks for all the Reviews, by the way. You're very kind and sometimes just hilarious :D

Love, Milka. :)

* * *

It was one of those days. One of those days in the life of Sam Puckett that you'd like to scratch out of your memories - with a spoon if needed to. It was shortly after New Year's eve, she had been home - her real home, not at Carly's - with Melanie, when their mother, Pam Puckett, stumbled in through the front door. The girls winced as they heard their mother yell for them.

"Melanie, Sweetheart! Come down her' an' help ya motha! Sam, you lazy shit, you too!"

Melanie's eyes jumped to Sam's figure and saw the pain in her eyes for a split second, before it vanished.

"You know she loves you." Melanie whispered as she tried to grab Sam's hand, but her sister snatched it away and scoffed.

"Yeah, yeah. Only if she's not drunk. As in never." She said sarcastically and walked out the door of their room.

Melanie sighed and followed with concern.

"Ha!" Pam bellowed from the foot of the stairs.

She didn't look drunk, the girl's noticed. She looked even... well, _clean._

"Ha!" She repeated.

"Ha, _what_, Mom?!" Sam groaned.

"I got you! Both of you!"

"And why's that?" Sam crossed her arms under her chest, putting her weight only on one leg.

"Don't be like that, Sammy." Melanie said from behind her, putting a hand on her arm. She shrugged it off.

"Yeah, don't be like that, Sam." Pam said. "I got you both into thinking I was totally drunk!"

Sam scoffed and Melanie elbowed her, a polite smile on her lips directed towards her mother.

"Yes, Mom, you got us." She smiled.

"Meh, don't be like that, Melanie. I know your fake-smile when I see it." Pam frowned.

"So, is there anything that you wanted from us or where you just tricking us?" Sam said with an exhausted sigh.

"I have an idea." Pam said proudly.

"Oh god."

"Ahh... Mom, are you sure that this is a good idea? I mean, your ideas are not always ... you know... the best." Melanie stuttered a little.

"Yes, girls, I am serious about this." Pam mirrored Sam's position.

"Oh god." Sam repeated herself.

"What do you have in mind?" Melanie asked and Sam was absolutely sure she heard a little fear and worry in her sisters words.

"We..." Pam started and made a long pause. "Are going to do an all girls day!"

The twins were flabbergasted. Melanie from shock because this was so unlike for their mother, Sam from shock what that this would mean shopping, manicure, pedicure and more super-girly stuff for her.

Pam frowned as her daughters didn't move an inch for several long moments.

"I'm really serious, girls! We're going shopping, eating at the best steak house of town - only for you, Sammy - and are going to the movies! How does that sound?" She smiled.

Sam and Melanie were still too shocked to say anyting, but their minds started working again. Eat steak. Steak. Only for her. Sam didn't know what to say or how to react. That was like the nicest thing her mother had ever done for her since their Dad had died. But ... Why was she doing this?

Melanie's eyes slowly filled with happy tears. After so many years of Pam being a... buttersock, she was finally regaining a little of her old self, her motherly self. They hadn't done this in ages since...

_Since the day Dad died..._ She thought sadly.

"Thank you, Mom! I'm so happy!" Melanie went to hug her mother tightly.

Pam smiled and looked over Melanie's shoulder to Sam.

Sam caught her mother's look and stared back for a moment, before a slight smile creeped onto her lips.

"Yeah, thanks Mom, I guess." She said quietly.

The day was good. Really good. Even if Sam had to endure the mani- and pedicure and the endless shopping and gushing from Melanie and her mother on how cute she looked in the various girly dresses they picked out for her. Don't get her wrong, she had started wearing dresses and look like a girl, but not like a _girly girl_.

The steak was exellent and the movie was an action movie with a tiny love story behind it. It wasn't that bad.

But on the way home it happened. The thing that shattered all the happy memories of that day.

Sam saw it coming a splitsecond before they collided. A truck's blinding lights, the screech of breaks and a loud bang fused with the sharp scrunching sound of iron against iron.

And everything went black for Sam Puckett.

When she slowly regained conciousness her head was pounding. She wished she could go back to sweet nothingness instead of having to endure that terrible headache. She tried, oh yes she tried, but the headache only got worse.

Slowly she opened her eyes and closed them again immediately. Lights. Over her head. Great. Her head registered what that meant. Neither she nor Carly had lights directly over their heads in their rooms. She was somewhere different. Picture frame after picture frame she moved down the day that she had spent with her mother and sister. And then... Her eyes shot open as she remembered the truck that had most likely crashed into their car and her head put all the information into place. They had had a car crash and she was in the hospital.

Sam tried to lift herself up, but found it harder than she'd remembered it. A look to her right told her why: her arm was in a cast.

She bit her lip. Ugh. So much for How I Met You Mother's unbreakable-theory.

Her blue eyes searched the room. Melanie lay in a bed next to hers, a white bandage around her head, her left arm in a cast - this twins-thing was getting a little creepy. But otherwise, she seemed okay.

"Mom..." Sam whispered and searched the room a second time.

The door opened and a nurse walked in. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw Sam sitting in her bed.

"Oh! Miss Puckett! You're awake!" She whisper-yelled.

"Yeah, hi. Do you know where my mom is?" Sam asked the nurse quietly as she approached and started to check her vitals.

"She's still in surgery. Do you remember what happened, Miss Puckett?"

"It's Sam."

"Sorry. Sam. Do you remember anything?"

"We got hit... by a truck." Sam said.

"By a truck?" Came a little voice from her other side.

Melanie was slowly sitting up in her bed.

"Hey Mel." Sam smiled warmly. She was glad that Melanie was more or less okay.

"Yes, Miss Puckett. You were hit by a truck. Your mother is still in surgery." The nurse summed the events up for Melanie.

She nodded slowly, her head too fuzzy to understand everything at once.

"How do you two feel?"

"Fuzzy." Melanie said.

"I got a headache." Sam answered.

"You two suffered similar injuries. A concussion and a broken arm, some bruises and you were hit by small pieces of glass. It's almost a miracle that you don't have any injuries worse than that. Your car looks terrible." The nurse blabbered away.

"How is our mother?" Sam asked concerned.

"As I said, she's still in surgery."

"Yeah, I got that, but how is she? Will she survive? The truck crashed into her side of the car."

"I'm sorry, Miss Puck- Sam. I don't know that. But I will send a doctor to you as soon as possible, okay?" She smiled apologetic.

"But-" Sam started to protest.  
"Thank you very much, that would be nice." Melanie interrupted her and shot her a warning look."

"Sam you have to be polite to people who serve you your food!" Melanie scolded her as the nurse had left.

"Why? I hope we're getting out of here in a few hours! I don't need their hospital food!"

"You don't know that for sure, do you?"

"No..." Sam mumbled.

"See."

The doctor came to see them an hour after that. He was a middle-aged man with brown hair and an unshaven face.

"Hello, girls. I am Doctor Lecter." He introduced himself.

"As in Hannibal Lecter?" Sam frowned at him.

"I'm Melanie and this is my sister Sam." Melanie introduced the two of them.

The doctor laughed.

"Yes, Sam, as in Hannibal Lecter."

"Cool." The older twin grinned.

"Thanks. So, let's see your stats..." He looked into his papers. "Soo... it looks like you're okay and ready to leave, your mother though is still in surgery. She's suffered greater damage than you two. I'm sorry to say this, girls, but we don't know if we can get her through. She's got broken bones, crimped organs and a major concussion. One of her broken ribs pierced her lung, we got the top surgeons of this hospital on her case. We're doing everything we can."

Melanie's hand had shot up and covered her trembling lips, her eyes brimming with tears. Sam sat on her bed, paralyzed. So their mother was probably not coming back. This might shouldn't shock her, because she had been almost dead the past 10 years... But she still loved her and it was a shock to the young iCarly co-host.

"I'm sorry to break those news to you, but you might want to think about what happens when your mother is not surviving the aftermath of this crash." He looked sadly at the girls.

Sam started to nod slightly.

"Okay..." She said after a while. "You said... you said we could go home?"

"Yes. In a few hours we'll have your last test-results and if they look good we'll get your papers ready. Do you have someone who can pick you up, who you can stay with while your mother is still here?"

Sam nodded again. "Yes."

"Good. I'll let you know when you can call them."  
"Thanks, Dr. Lecter." Sam said and let her gaze drop into her lap.

The doctor left and Sam breathed in and out for some time, then she looked over at Melanie. She hadn't moved, but the trembling of her lips had gotten worse.

"Mel? Are you alright?"

She didn't respond.

Sam got up and climbed over onto her sisters bed, sitting next to her and putting her arms around her. Another proof of how close they had gotten over the past two years.

"Mel, what is it?"

Melanie seemed to snap back into live. She looked at her sister and bit her lip, hard. Blood showed around her withe tooth.

"What are you doing?!" Sam exclaimed.

"I will not cry. I will not cry until this is over and all hope is lost. We have to believe in our mother. She might not have the best medical record, but she's a Puckett, right?" Melanie managed a small smile that Sam returned.  
"You're amazingly weird." Sam said to her.

"I'm your twin." She shrugged.

The two girls grinned weakly at each other.

"Come on, let's call Carly and Spence and tell them to bring us some clothes. I don't want to leave this place with this weird night-gown on." Sam said and Melanie nodded, hopping from her bed and started dialing.

"Oh my gosh!" The door burst open.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!" It revealed a rather hyperventilating Carly Shay and a breathless Spencer shortly after. Chelsea stepped in after him.

"Sam! Melanie! Are you okay?!" Carly flung herself at the twins.

"Woaaah! Carls! Relax!" Sam said to her best friend.

"Hello guys." Melanie smiled slightly.

"Are you hurt badly? Oh no! You broke your arms!" Carly spluttered.

"Shay!" Sam bellowed.

"YES!" All three visitors responded immediately.

Melanie giggled and Sam couldn't hide a little grin.

"Calm down now!" She continued. "Melanie told you everything when she called about _half an hour ago_!"

"Yes, but- Oh my gosh, you're hurt!" Carly blabbered on.

Sam rolled her eyes.

"What happened?" Chelsea asked as she sat down on a chair next to them.

"A truck crushed into our car-"

"Oh my gosh!"

"- and mom's still in surgery." Sam explained.

"They said we'd might want to think about what happens if she doesn't - doesn't make it." Melanie said quietly.

There was silence for a moment. Then Chelsea stood up and hugged the twins.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered into their ears.

"Thanks." They mumbled back.

"You can stay with us of course." Spencer said.

"Thanks Spencer." Melanie smiled weakly.

"Did you bring clothes? I really want to get out of here." Sam said.

"Of course! Here you go." Carly handed her a huge back and she and Melanie vanished into the bathroom.

Two hours later they opened the door to the Shay residence.

"I'm so glad to be back here." Sam sighed.

Spencer had just closed the door when it burst open again and three young, very concerned man stormed in.

"Sam!"

"Melanie!"

They yelled as they stormed towards the twins and burried them in an extremely weird three-way-hug, showered with "Oh my gosh, you're save"s and "we were so worried"s.

"Woah woah woah, guys, I know we did three-way-random debates on iCarly, but that doesn't mean we need to do everything like that!" Sam's voice could be heard from the huddle.

"Sorry." They stepped back awkwardly.

"Thanks guys." Melanie smiled. "We appreciate your worry."

"So, what happened?" Freddie asked, his gaze fixed on Sam.

"Carly only texted us that you two were in the hospital." Brad added.

Melanie looked over to Sam who sighed and excused herself with a "I need bacon".

The younger twin sighed as well and started to retell the story.

"What are you going to do now?" Brad asked, casting a worried look towards the bacon-devouring girl.

"We wait." Melanie said sadly.

"You should call Chester down." Sam said, her mouth full.

"Who?" Asked Carly.

"Chester. Her boyfriend." Sam stated.

"Are you sure? I mean, we're staying here and Spencer-"

"It's okay. Since he is your boyfriend and you're almost 18, he is allowed to sleep in your room - if you want to." Spencer nodded smiling.

"Thanks, Spencer!" Melanie hugged him. "I'll call him at once!"

After she had hopped away, everyone turned to Sam.

"What?!" She asked, a piece of bacon hovering half way to her mouth.

"Nothing, nothing..." They all mumbled and headed their different ways.

Gibby headed to the kitchen, Spencer and Chelsea into their bedroom and Carly grabbed Brad and followed Gibby to give Sam and Freddie some privacy. She knew exactely something was up with her two best friends.

"Soo... Are you okay?" Freddie asked as he sat down next to Sam.

"I have a broken arm and can only eat my bacon half as fast. No, I am _not_ okay, Benson." She said calmly.

Freddie eyed the blonde intently. She refused to look back at him and was fixed on her food. She looked... controlled. And tired. Freddie sighed, put his arm on the back of the couch and sat a little closer to Sam.

"Sam, you know, if you want to talk about anything - or not talk and just... I don't know... hang out or something, you know you can always come to me, right? I mean-"

"Yes, Benson, I know what you mean. Thanks, but no thanks. Could you leave now? I'd like to eat my bacon in peace." Sam interrupted him flatly.

Freddie's eyes widened. He was a little shocked, to say the least. She was back into middle-school-Sam-mode. He frowned but listened to her and stood up. The brunette boy was about to leave, when he changed his mind and turned once more.

"Promise me? Promise me if you need anything you come to me?"

She raised her gaze and looked at him, an emotionless mask over his face.

"Fine, Benson." She said and returned her attention to her snack.

Freddie sighed. Poor Sam. She wasn't doing too well... But what was he expecting? Her mother was in danger of losing her life, her sister and her had endured a terrible car crash and they were hurt. He cast one last long look at her, before he walked into the kitchen where he could hear Carly, Gibby and Brad chatting loudly. Sam could need some privacy and who was he to deny her what she might needed most at the moment?

Melanie's boyfriend Chester arrived the next day. He was a nice, dark blonde boy but... well, let's just say he was not the kind of boy you'd expect Melanie to like. He was dressed casually, had his hair not gelled or anything and was rather reminding everyone of... well, of Sam. It didn't surprise anyone that Chester and Sam got a long as well as they had known each other for forever, although Melanie and him were dating for only a year.

Chester and Melanie shared the Shay's guest room, while Sam shared with Carly or inhabited the living room couch, like usual. Freddie, Brad and Gibby were there with them even more often and more than once stayed over night to sleep in the iCarly studio.

Pam Puckett was after four surgeries still alive, but was now in a coma that nobody knew if she'd ever wake up again. It had been hard on Sam and Melanie, but Melanie still refused to cry until it was all over and Sam had agreed with her after a few days. The question who would care for Melanie and Sam was still a big worry on Sam's mind. Sooner or later the youth welfare office would come for them and in the worst case they would have to leave the Shay's. This was actually Sam's greatest worry. She could live without her mother. It sounded rude, but she had prepared to get a phone call telling her she died in a car crash or in the aftermath of excessive drug consume or something like that for years. Her one real help for that had been the Shay's who had always welcomed her and her sister. Sam sighed as she sat on the couch, watching reruns of Girly Cow with Carly and Melanie one evening.

Spencer and Chelsea stepped out of their room and stood beneath the couch.

"Carly? Could you leave us alone for a few minutes?" Chelsea asked the brunette girl who frowned in confusion and glanced at her two blondes mirrored her actions.

Spencer winked at Carly and she slowly got up and walked up the stairs, turning around numerous times to cast a confused glance at her friends and family.

Spencer turned off the TV and sat on the coffee table, while Chelsea took a seat in the armchair that she had pulled next to them.

"Sam, Melanie, we know that this might not be the best time for this, but you both know that sooner or later someone from the youth welfare service will come and decide about your guardians until you are eighteen." Spencer started.

"It's only about eight months, but still." Chelsea said quietly.

"We know you love your mother and what we're about to say doesn't mean that we declare her lost or that we've given up on her." The man said.

Sam and Melanie frowned and shot each other a short glance. This could turn out a rather unpleasant conversation. Were they too much for the Shays? Would they ask them to search for another family member to take them?

Sam could feel Melanie stiffen and her hand search for hers. She took it and held it tightly.

"You don't need to be scared," Chelsea said, her observation of people was as good as always. "We'd like to ask you, if you'd agree if Spencer and I applied to be your guardians. We're a newlywed couple and you're almost living with us anyway."

"As I said, this doesn't mean that we want to replace your mom or-"

He wasn't allowed to say anything else. Sam and Melanie had flung themselves at the couple and almost squeezed them to death.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" Melanie spluttered into Chelsea's ear in a deafening audibility.

"You're the best!" Sam yelled as she and Spencer fell from the coffee table to the floor.

"Are you serious?!" Came a cry from the stairs.

Everyone turned and saw a certain peppy brunette stand there, her mouth hanging open, forming a perfect 'o'.

"Well, yes we are, Carly." Said Chelsea. "Sorry we didn't tell you before, but we wanted to give Sam and Melanie the chance to decide this for themselves."

"If you're mad-" Melanie started.

"Are you crazy?!" Carly stopped her immediately. "I'm not mad! I'm furious!"

Everyone looked at her in shock.

"I could've planned a little party to welcome my two best friends into the family and YOU DIDN'T TELL ME ANYTHING!" She screeched.

There was a short silence before laughter filled the living room.

"What's the matter with you down here?" Asked Chester who had emerged from behind Carly together with Freddie. The boys had been up in the iCarly studio, checking something for the next iCarly.

"I just got two sisters and nobody minded telling me beforehand so I could throw a welcoming party!" Carly told them disappointedly.

"You just - what?!" Chester said and turned his face towards his girlfriend. Freddie too looked at the weird scene before them in confusion. Sam still lay on Spencer beneath the coffee table and Melanie and Chelsea were still clutching at each other.

"Spencer and I asked the girls if they'd be okay with us applying to be their guardians until they turn 18." Chelsea solved the confusion. "And they said yes."

Smiles immediately spread on Freddie's and Chester's faces.

"That's awesome!"

"Congratulations!" They stormed down the stairs, Carly trailing after them and hugging the girls, as well as Spencer and Chelsea.

"You're feeling better now, don't you. Now that such a big stone is lifted from your shoulders." It wasn't a question that Freddie whispered into Sam's ear, but she answered him anyway and nodded. She was startled at first that he knew her so well, but on second thought she should've known that he knew. He was still able to look right through her, he had been since they were thirteen and it had never changed.

Sam smiled into Freddie's shoulder. It was nice that some things actually never changed.

"Thanks, Benson."

"For what?" He asked confused, pulling back a little to look at her.

"Hm." Sam shrugged. "Seeing right through me, I guess."

He grinned. "Well, it _is _a skill I do not want to miss."

"A skill, huh?" She laughed and let go of him. "Sure."

Freddie watched her walk over to Carly and get almost crushed. He grinned. Yes, it was a skill that not so many people possessed. Not Carly, not Gibby, not Spencer... He wasn't even sure if Melanie possessed it, but he was sure that Brad possessed it and that bothered him. He was jealous. He wanted to be the only one who knew Sam in and out.

The brunette shook his head. He shouldn't think about that now. It was a happy day for all of them. And it wasn't like he could do anything about it, so he focused on the people in front of him, happily chatting.

Freddie woke up a little confused. He usually never woke up in the middle of the night. Something must've woken him up.

Suddenly, he saw something move next to his bed and froze.

"Oh, nice that you're eventually awak, Benson." A sharp voice said.

"Sam?"

"Yes, S_am_, who else would break into your home in the middle of the night?" She said sarcastically.

"What is it?" Freddie asked with his sleepy voice and stretched his limbs. A look at the clock told him it was 2:35 AM.

"Can I sleep here?"

"Huh?"

"Can. I. Sleep. Here." She repeated as if he was stupid.

"Er - Sure." He shuffled over and held the covers up for the blonde girl to climb in next to him.

Sam hopped in and lay there for a moment, before she turned and snuggled up to the quarterback, clenching her fist in his shirt.

Freddie hesitated a little before he put his arms around her - it was not usual for her to sleep in a bed with him and cuddle up to him.

He noticed once again that her hair smelled like strawberries and the remnants of her perfume were sweet and flowery - so nothing like her. Her warmth made him shiver under the covers.

"Sammy?" He murmured softly against her haid. "What happened?"

"Carly's still on her date, Melanie's with Chester and Brad's out of town with his mom for the weekend, as you very well know."

Freddie frowned. Of course he knew that. That wasn't what he wanted to know!

"You know what I mean." He said.

He felt her stiffen in his arms and held her breath.

"The hospital called."

Freddie's head jerked up. "What?!"

The blonde nodded.

"She's dead." She said, her voice a little hoarse at the end. He could feel her begin to shake.

"Oh Sammy, I'm so so sorry." He said quietly and pressed her small body tighter against his own, rubbing soothing circles on her back as she burried her head deeper into his chest.

And then she cried. Sam Puckett cried her heart out on Freddie Benson's chest. As weird as that might have sounded to them in their early teens, it was the most comforting that they could imagine. It was true what Sam had said, about the whereabouts of her friends, but she wasn't sure if she would've come to him anyway if Carly, Brad and Melanie had been available.

To her, it was his warmth and mostly his smell. This mixture of lemon grass and cinnamon that sounded so gross but was so soothing and smelled just like home in combination with the quarterback's skin. He was her safe haven and she wouldn't want it any other way. Slowly, Sam calmed down. She knew Freddie would always be there for her and she loved him even more for that fact. She knew, that she would be able to survive the weeks to come with him beside her and she was beyond thankful for that.

"Does Melanie know?" He asked after some time as he was sure she had stopped crying.

Sam nodded.

"Yeah." She croaked.

"How does she handle it?"

The blonde shrugged. "She hugged me and sighed. Then she thanked me for telling her and turned around and went back to bed. She started crying though."

Freddie nodded slowly, he had now changed from drawing circles on Sam's back to carefully stroking her hair.

"Do you need anything?" He asked after a while.

"Tomorrow we'll need loads of bacon. Puckett's tend to eat even more when they're sad."

Freddie couldn't help but chuckle at that. Those Pucketts...

He kissed her head. "I'll go as soon as the shops open."

"Mhm." Sam hummed.

There was a long silence between them. Freddie almost thought she'd fallen asleep, when she started talking again.  
"I'm scared." She whispered almost inaudibly.

"Why?"

Sam bit her lip. "I - ... I don't know."

"Sam." Damn. Sometimes it was a pain that he knew her so well and could tell when she changed her mind at the last second and said something different.

She sighed.

"What if - what if Spence and Chelsea don't want to be our guardians anymore when they know about that. What if they can't afford three girls? What if they -"

"Sam. Spencer and Chelsea thought this through. It wasn't sure if your mom was ever going to wake up again. They asked you under the circumstances that they would take care of you and support you until you are adults and can afford your own lives. They wouldn't step back from their word now - or ever. You should know that."

"Of course, I _should_ know that!" Sam blew up, whisper-yelling at him. "But I can't help it! I don't have a legal guardian, I'm turning 18 in a few months time and I have a little sister to take care of! I am scared out of my mind, Benson!"

She pressed her arms against his side and pushed herself away from him, her eyes twinkling angry in the street lamp's light.

Freddie held her gaze for a moment, then he sighed and averted his eyes.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I know you must be scared. But Sam, you don't need to be scared. Calm down. We're all going to be there for you - _I_ am here for you and I won't leave you. If you need a place to stay, a shoulder to cry on or someone to afford college for you. I am here for you, I'll help you get through this - if you want me to, or not." He added as he saw her mouth open in protest.

"Thanks." She said quietly and cuddled back into his side.

"You're welcome. Now go to sleep, Puckett, you need it." He said as he adjusted his arms around her.

"Okay." She answered him with a tired voice and sighed contentedly. It had been an exhausting day and although she was still sad because of her mom, she felt safe in Freddie's strong arms and calmed down in a matter of minutes.

"Thanks, Freddie." She mumbled, almost half asleep, but managed to lean up and kiss his cheek before cuddling back into the pillows.

Freddie was paralyzed. She had kissed him. _Sam Puckett_ had kissed him. On the cheek - but still! He could feel his grin widen until his face almost split into half before he nuzzled his nose into her hair softly.  
"You're welcome, love." He whispered. It was risky, but he was positive that Sam was already asleep. She wouldn't hear him anyway. A last glance at the clock told him it was 3:55 AM. Freddie yawned and closed his eyes contentedly, drifting off into what he thought was the best sleep he had ever had.


	8. An unbeatable combination

**Hellooo People of earth!:)**

**It's incredible how long my exams and my vacation held me up :O**

**But FINALLY here's the new chapter! It's very Sam-centric, but I hope you still like it. :) I'll try my best to come up with more Seddie-ish stuff soon!:)**

**Love! :)**

Sam was raging. Her insides felt like a raging sea with gigantic waves of anger crashing down on her. She tried her best to keep it in, she really did.  
People would wonder about her, if they knew how she felt, she knew that for sure.  
Her mother had died only two weeks previously, had been burried hardly a week ago. It would have been likely that she was angry because of her loss, that it was her way to cope with it. But it wasn't. She was sure about that.  
Her friends were doing everything for her and her twin sister, they were carrying them through this hard time - sometimes even literally. She was so lucky to have those people. And she _knew _she was, she appreciated everything they did for her. That was why she was trying so hard to keep herself under control, to ignore her burning insides and the crashing waves of fury.  
But it was hard.  
During the funeral she hadn't left her uncle Carmine's and cousin Chaz' side for a single time so she didn't have to deal with her friends. The only one she could bear having around her was Melanie, because Melanie needed her. But there was Chester, Sam could leave her to him when she didn't feel like having her sister around her with her teary eyes and shaking hands.  
Uncle Carmine and Chaz were different. They had gotten permission from the prison's Head to attend the funeral of their sister/aunt. Sam knew they had just blackmailed him, but she appreciated the gesture anyways. They had almost crushed her and Melanie in similar bear-hugs and only asked them, if they were okay and told them to not let anything get them down. Ever.  
Sam smiled slightly at the memory as she sat on the hill in the park, not far from the graveyard, that she had visited first when the funeral was over. It was weird how well her relatives knew what she needed to hear, when they saw each other hardly every two month for an hour.  
The blonde she-devil had thought that it would've been her friends that she saw every day that would get her first. She wasn't really disappointed that Gibby, Spencer and Chelsea hadn't gotten her. She had never expected them to. She wasn't even angry at Carly and Melanie, who were supposed to be her _best friend _and her _freaking twin_.  
No, she was most disappointed and angry with Brad and... well, Freddie. Those two usually read her like she was the morning newspaper in a matter of seconds. But now, when she needed nothing more but to be read, they didn't do it. Or couldn't. Or heck knew what. Maybe they read her wrong for the first time since... since they first met.  
Sam sighed again. She knew it wasn't fair to expect them to understand her 24/7, but she couldn't help it. Usually, they just _did._  
She didn't need all the pity, the sorry and understanding looks. Ugh, how she _hated _this _understanding_. They understood nothing! God damn it! Nothing! She was so angry with them again all of a sudden, that she slammed her fist onto the dirty ground beside her. She didn't need to be understood as a grieving teenager who had lost his parent. She didn't need to be hugged ten times a day from ten different people! She didn't need everything to be done for her so she wouldn't have any stress! No! She wouldn't be crying every five minutes or pour her heart out to all of them every day, like Melanie did and like everybody seemed to be expecting of her. They waited for her to break and she knew it.  
But she wouldn't. There was nothing to break into. She had cried her tears the night that the hospital had called. She had cried them into Freddie _freaking_ Benson's chest! And she hated herself for it, because he out of all people seemed to watch her closest. But he didn't understand. He told her he would be the first to be there when she broke down. He had told her that after the funeral when he had come to find her on this particular hill, hidden beneath bushes.  
And she _had _broken in some kind. Against her will she had broken her resolve to stay calm and not take her anger out on her friends. She had blown up on him - like _hell_ she did. Her throat had still been sore the next day from her screaming. She had told him she didn't need him and his pity, his _fucking understanding_, because he didn't understand _anything, _that he had always been so proud of reading her like a book, but that he had - obviously - failed in reading her this time, that he had failed in being her best friend. She screamed at him that he had failed worse than Carly or Melanie, that he had failed just as bad as Brad, because they were _supposed_ to be able to tell, but they couldn't. Enventually, she had heaved a breath - she was panting now - and told him to go, because she didn't want to see any of them for some time, that she needed to be able to be like she was, without being judged for it and _misunderstood_. And he had left.  
She had been terribly sorry for yelling at him like that and telling him all this shortly afterwards and texted him her apology only few hours later.  
But he had proven that he really couldn't read her, that they weren't _them_ anymore. Because he had texted back that it was okay and that he _understood_.  
Sam sighed. She didn't need any of that. She was a little sad for her mother's death, of course, who wouldn't be. But she was okay with it, after all she _had _had been prepared to get that hospital call for _years_. She had cried her tears, now she was almost relieved, because the worrying and the trouble and everything was over. The funeral had been her last step into a new part of her live which would - hopefully - be easier than the first.  
What she really needed now was _normalcy_.  
She gritted her teeth in anger and balled her fists. Her insides had clenched at the thought before that and hadn't unclenched yet.  
They weren't _them_ anymore. That was maybe what hurt her most. She had obviously fallen in love with the nerdish quarterback, she had been proud that she had fallen for someone that could read her like she read him. That they truly _understood _each other. But it seemed he couldn't read, couldn't understand her anymore... She hated the nagging feeling in her stomach that was so sickeningly _girlish_. That feeling that let her fear that they had lost this connection forever, that they could never return it and that it wasn't _smart_ to be in love with him if they had lost what connected them. Sam hated that feeling. Her brain told her that it was stupid and girly-girlish and so _drama_, but her stomach screamed at her, that she had never been _smart_ anyways and that she might better be starting now, because she was alone and almost eighteen now. She would be an adult in mere months. She would have to figure out what to do after school and start working hard for it.  
Sam bit her lip as the chorus of her momentary favourite song rang in her ears.

You will remember me, remember me for centuries.

It was joined at once by Uncle Carmine's words.

Never let anything get you down. Ever.

Sam took a fresh breath and looked down over the graveyard before her. They were right. She wouldn't let her fury drag her down, she would smile over it and act as usual as possible and for once - wait it out. She needed to start acting smart. The blonde narrowed her eyes at the thought. Then she shrugged. She would wait out the Freddie-thing, too. Who was she to not forgive him the one time that he really disappointed her? Maybe the reading would come back? Who knew. She wasn't going to worry about unnecessary things. She was going to figure out what she wanted to do after school. Because people _would _remember her. She was Sam fucking Puckett!  
So Sam fucking Puckett stood up, pulled her earplugs out and set off for the library to research what she wanted to do with her live.  
She smiled as she walked down the hill.

Uncle Carmine and Fall Out Boy - an unbeatable combination.


End file.
